The featured event on the Saturday night (June 10) harness racing program at Running Aces was the $10,000 Open Handicap Trot and My Little Susie stole the show by storming down the center of the track to get home first in the top trot and establish a new track record of 1:55 for four-year-old mares.
My Little Susie now sports two current track records at the Minnesota oval as she also set the three-year-old record of 1:56.4 last season.
Driver Steve Wiseman floated My Little Susie quickly off the gate to find a pylon position in third and waited patiently in that spot as race favourite Banker Volo (Luke Plano) set all the fractions (:27.1, :56.3 and 1:25). My Little Susie came charging up the inside passing lane in the stretch to overtake the leader and hold off the pocket-sitter Leave Your Mark (Nick Roland), who took second. Banker Volo checked in third.
Saturday's big win was the 20th lifetime tally for the talented mare, who is owned by A Piece of The Action LLC and trained by Kathie Plested.
Whatevershesgot ($3.60), with Gerald Longo aboard, picked up the winner's share of the $7,000 purse in the second leg of the Charlie Hare Trotting Series. She won in a lifetime best mile of 1:57.1 after converting the pocket trip into a one and three-quarter length score. It was the first win of the season and fifth lifetime victory for the four-year-old mare by SOS Lunar Eclipse, who is owned and trained by Jenni King.
Ideal Jesse ($3.20), a colt by Jailhouse Jesse, was sharp in winning the $8,000 Three-Year-Old Open Trot in 1:57.4 with part owner/trainer/driver James Yoder in the bike. It was the third lifetime win in 18 starts for Ideal Jesse, who is also owned by Jesse Yoder.
Drivers Rick Magee and Nick Roland both picked up driving doubles on the card at Running Aces.
The next card of live harness racing at Running Aces Casino & Racetrack will go to post on Sunday night, June 11 at 6 p.m. CDT, with a carryover in the 20-cent Jackpot Pick-5 wager of $7,908.32.
(With files from Running Aces)