Dandys Freedom posted the fastest mile of the night at Running Aces on Tuesday, July 21 with a 1:51.3 tally by three lengths in one of the co-featured $17,958 Open Handicap II pacing events.

Sent off as the overwhelming 1-20 favourite in the second division of the top class of the night, Dandys Freedom left alertly for trainer/driver Casey Leonard and released the early lead to PD The Big Easy (Dean Magee) through the solid opening quarter in :27.1, with Gandalf (Nick Roland) dropping in third.

PD The Big Easy continued to lead comfortably through the middle stages in :55.4 and 1:23.4 with Dandys Freedom keeping close tabs in the pocket, while Spiritofanoutlaw (Brady Jenson) started a first-over bid and No Lou Zing (Scott Cisco) chased the cover.  

PD The Big Easy had a short lead as they straightened for the finish but Dandys Freedom emerged from the pocket and was full of pace in the final sixteenth of the mile to draw clear impressively, with PD The Big Easy holding second against a fast-closing Tankalicious (Luke Plano).

The winner is a four-year-old World Of Rocknroll-Charg N Marg gelding and now has six wins this season in nine starts and 13 career wins for Illinois-based owners Terry Leonard, Dandy Farms Racing, Peter Kouchis and FT Racing Stable. The win mutuel was $2.10.

Speaking Volumes and driver Rick Magee held gamely to win by a neck over Handsome Harvey (Luke Plano) in a thrilling finish in the other Open II division with Flickadawrist (Casey Leonard) posting a big late rally for the third spot in the 1:52.3 mile.

Speaking Volumes is a six-year-old Artspeak-Voluminous gelding who now has three wins in 2026 for owner A Piece Of The Action of Culver City, California. The win was part of a training double on the program for Brady Jenson. Speaking Volumes was the heavy favourite and returned $2.80.

Live harness racing returns to Running Aces on Thursday, July 23 for a 10-race program that will get underway at 6 p.m. (CDT). 

(Running Aces)