The Saturday evening (June 22) harness racing card at Running Aces featured a $23,000 event for three-year-old Minnesota-sired pacers, which was split into two divisions.
The $11,500 fillies division sported a field of seven, headlined by A Little Rusty (Gerald Longo), who was the even-money favouriteafter turning in an impressive victory last time out, winning by more than five lengths to post a maiden win in 1:56.2.
Trinitysfancyfilly (Brian Detgen) also got plenty of attention, as she was the runner-up for divisional honours last season as a freshman. The public sent her off as the 2-1 second choice, and she sped away from the gate from post one to take the lead and control the pace.
The fractions were quite sensible, with Trinitysfancyfilly leading the parade through splits of :29, :59 and 1:28.1. A Little Rusty got away in third before launching a first-over attack going into the final turn, and The Boss Wife (Nick Roland) stalked in the pocket.
Trinitysfancyfilly led them into the lane and was game to the wire, but A Little Rusty had just enough momentum to forge past right on the money, posting a three-quarter length victory in 1:57 for two wins in a row, with The Boss Wife home in third.
A Little Rusty ($4.00) is by The Village Rusty from the Sportsmaster mare Fox Valley Topless. The winner is owned and trained by Wendy Haberburg.
Gerald Longo also won the $11,500 colts and geldings division with his own Fancy Schmacy gelding Stay Humble N Kind, delivering as the 2-1 second choice ($6.00) and picking up his second win in a row with a new lifetime mark of 1:54.4 as he just out-kicked race favorite SB Bodacious (Rick Magee) to the wire in a thrilling finish.
Completing a hat trick on the program for Longo, was Bunkerhill Jill ($10.40) in the nightcap, pacing to a new career best of 1:54.2 for owner-trainer Gene Miller.
One lucky patron was able to solve the 20-ccent Pick-5 wager as the only ticket, taking down a jackpot of $12,783.92. The Pick-5 jackpot starts over on Sunday (June 23) with first post at 6:00 p.m. Central.
(Running Aces)