The $20,548 Open Trot was the featured event on the season opening program at Running Aces on Sunday ,May 17 and the top trotters provided fans with an exciting and action-packed contest.
Bringoverthemoney and driver Dean Magee fired fastest off the car to quickly take command as they headed to the quarter mile while race favourite Escaper (Rick Magee) surged from the outside post to secure the pocket and BPs Lucky Star (Mooney Svendsen) also left alertly and landed in third.
Just after the respectable :28.1 opening stanza, Magee pulled the pocket to surge past Bringoverthemoney and take control as they approached the half-mile juncture and had Escaper settled on top as they registered that checkpoint in :58, with Chapolier and Luke Plano tipping first-over from fourth position.
Escaper led the charge down the backstretch but Chapolier quickly advanced toward the leader and began to draw on even terms as they rounded into the final turn, sticking a nose on top at the 1:26.4 three-quarter mark while BPs Lucky Star followed cover and Bringoverthemoney and Iron Sharpens Iron (Scott Cisco) gave chase.
Escaper fought gamely and the top two were locked in stride as they straightened for home with BPs Lucky Star tipping wide. Through the stretch Chapolier began to get the upper hand on his chief rival and forged by in the final yards, drawing clear late to secure the victory by 1-3/4 lengths and stop the timer at 1:55.3 while Escaper held second over BPs Lucky Star.
An eight-year-old Chapter Seven gelding out of Holier Than Thou, Chapolier scored his second win of the season and 35th career victory for his driver / owner / trainer Plano. The trotter now shows $504,714 in career earnings.
The reigning Minnesota Harness Horse of the Year, Peanutbutterfalcon made his season debut a winning one on opening night with a sharp gate-to-wire tally in a $12,329 conditioned event, trotting in 1:57.3 to register his 20th career win. Cisco was in the bike for owner Jeralene Roland and trainer Dan Roland. Braggen Bliss (Nick Roland) was a sharp second and Wilamar Spark (Rick Magee) was home third in that contest.
Brady Jenson led the opening night program with four driving wins and three training wins, while Scott Cisco registered a driving double.
Live harness acing returns to Running Aces on Tuesday night (May 19) for the first 'Dollar Night' program of the season when free bet drawings, food trucks, $1 hot dogs and $2 beers will compliment the nine-race program that gets underway at 7 p.m. (CDT).
(with files from Running Aces)