The Sunday, June 14 program at Running Aces featured the weekly $20,833 Open Handicap Trot as well as the Minnesota-sired sophomore trotters going for a combined $48,611 in two divisions, and driver Rick Magee captured victory in all three events.
Magee was teamed up with Escaper from post six in the Open and was sent off as the 3-1 second choice, while Fifty Rivers (Casey Leonard) was the heavy favourite at 3-5 and those two horses dominated the affair.
Magee sent Escaper straight toward the front as the gate sped away and Leonard and Fifty Rivers came charging from post eight to challenge for and take the lead just before the :27.1 quarter while Peanutbutterfalcon (Mooney Svendsen) secured third position from the rail draw.
Lexus Markus (Dean Magee) had also left for position but was caught on the outside and forced to press the leaders through the middle stages in :56.3 and 1:25.4 before tiring near the top of the lane.
As they swung for home, Fifty Rivers was still going strong but Escaper was ready to pounce from the pocket and tipped out to go after the leader. Fifty Rivers fought gamely to the line but Escaper surged strongest in the final strides to prevail by a neck in 1:54.4 while Peanutbutterfalcon held third.
The win was the second of the season in 11 starts for the five-year-old gelding Escaper (Muscle Hill-Top Expectations), who is owned by the Pennsylvania-based Rotiboy4Eva Racing Stable. The winning trainer is Harold Herrera for the Maria Alvarez stable. Escaper paid $8.80 to win.
Magee also piloted Bang Bang Boogie (New Jersey Viking-Caitrin Hall) to a sharp 1:57.4 victory over SV Shining Star (Casey Leonard) and Shots On Goal (Mooney Svendsen) in the $29,167 Minnesota-sired sophomore 'A' trot for the gelding's fourth win of the season in seven starts. The winner is trained by Justin Anfinson, who also sent out the runner-up, and owned Stephanie Anfinson and Ken Stauffer.
Magee also steered My Little Maverick (Maverick-My Little Susie) to his first win of the season in eight attempts with a career-best 1:59.1 mile over Wisco Money Heist (Luke Plano) and Imjumpijackflash (Brady Jenson) in the $19,444 sophomore 'B' division for trainer Elvin Zimmerman and owners Aimes Racing and Connie Oke.
Magee ended up with a total of four wins on the 10-race card. The other multi-race winners on Sunday included driver Casey Leonard and trainer Justin Anfinson.
Live harness racing returns to Running Aces on Tuesday, June 16 for a nine-race program that will include a carryover of $15,138.74 in the 20-cent Pick-5 Jackpot wager, starting in race five. First post is set for 7 p.m. (CDT).
(With files from Running Aces)