Maier Bounces Back From 'Humble' Loss
Driver Tim Maier was the star of the show at Running Aces on Saturday night with victories in half of the eight races. Despite all his success, he suffered a major disappointment when he fell from his inflatable bouncing pony in the track’s promotional Humbletonian race and finished last.
Maier’s four wins came with a pair of pacers from his own stable and a pair of trotters trained by David Wackford. The four-bagger started in the first race when the 59-year-old teamster guided Tempus Flight to a 1:59 maiden trot victory. The four-year-old Andover Hall gelding had been second on eight occasions in his 16-race career, but had never won one until now for Wackford and his wife Sandi.
Three races later Maier and the Wackfords returned to the winner’s circle with Scorpius, a five-year-old mare notching her fifth trotting victory in 49 career starts with a 1:59.2 effort.
Despite making a brief break on the backstretch, Maier urged his Love Live Laugh to a maiden pacing triumph in 1:59. It was the first pari-mutuel start ever for the three-year-old Hi Ho Silverheels filly owned by Tim’s wife Denise and son Jason.
After four consecutive runner-up finishes, Little Anna Mae got Maier his fourth victory winning an event for female $3,500 claimers in 1:56.4. The four-year-old Little Steven mare increased her lifetime bankroll to over $50,000 for owners Denise Maier and Eileen Brodbar.
“As much fun as it is to win four races in a night, I still would have liked to have done better in the hilarious promotional Humbletonian race," said Maier. "Congratulations to Stevie [Wiseman], but I was planning on walking away with the $1,000,000 'bounced' cheque if I hadn’t fallen off ol’ Phony Pony. I was laying there in the middle of the stretch thinking about that commercial — I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!”
For winning, the Minnesota Harness Horsemen's Association will make a $100 donation to Wiseman’s charity of choice -- the Pay It Forward Fund for Breast Cancer Patients. Wiseman was awarded the $1,000,000 'bounced' cheque as a keepsake.
(Running Aces)