In the Saturday night feature at Running Aces, Margin Call ($4.20) trotted to his fourth consecutive win, stopping the clock in 1:56.1 to post a new lifetime mark for the second consecutive start.
The talented five-year-old gelding by Revenue S out of the Muscles Yankee mare Caffeine Freak was forced to move into the top Open trotting level after winning his last three starts, and he proved to be equal to the task.
Trainer/driver Rick Magee got him away unhurried in fifth from post one and waited patiently through fractions of :29.1, :58.1, and 1:26.3 before advancing to the outside and charging down the homestretch to win by a neck over Ill Tell You What (Brian Detgen). Wheres The Clicker (Dean Magee) was just a half-length back in third.
Margin Call is owned by a very proud Mikaela Delguidice. Saturday night’s win was his 12th career tally in 33 lifetime starts.
Despite his jump in class, he was the race favourite and paid $4.20 on every $2 Win ticket.
Magee scored a hat-trick, also winning with Placen First ($13.40) in 1:55.3 for owner/trainer Jenni King, and Tempus Fugit ($5.60) in a lifetime-best 1:57.2 for owners David and Sandi Wackford and trainer Joel McDanel.
The very nice three-year-old filly Dag In My Stockings (by Dags) made her presence known in the eighth race, posting a tremendous effort in a gate-to-wire performance of 1:55. After setting very fast fractions of :27.2, :56.1 and 1:23.3, she coasted home to win by seven and a half lengths. She is owned by Duane and Connie Roland, was bred by Roger Roland, and was driven to victory by Nick Roland.
Nick Roland posted a hat-trick on the Saturday card as well, also scoring wins with Tylertherottwyler ($4) in a maiden-breaking 2:00.2 mile for owner/trainer Robert Lems, and Red Star Wild One ($9.60) in a dead-heat win in 1:56.1 with Meritage Hanover (Kevin Anderson). Red Star Wild One is owned by Ron Rettig-Zucchi and trained by Jesse Pacheco.
The white-hot gelding Freedom Reigns has been unstoppable in June at Running Aces, moving up to the $9,000 “A” division of Minnesota-Sired three-year-old pacers after winning three consecutive races. Freedom Reigns was large and in charge again on Saturday night, with driver Tim Maier sweeping to the lead past the :27.3 quarter and never looking back through the remaining fractions of :57.2 and 1:24.4 before coasting home to win by one and a quarter lengths over race favourite Cruzin Coco (Steve Wiseman) in a new lifetime mark of 1:53.3 for owners Janice Molgaard and Nancy Jensen of Iowa and trainer Brady Jensen.
The three-year-old gelding pacer Cyrax (by Intrepid Seelster) made his first pari-mutuel start a winning one in his $6,000 Minnesota-Sired “B” division, from post three. Driver Brian Detgen got him away second in the pocket before moving first-over past the three-quarters and sprinting home to win by two and a quarter lengths in 1:58.3. He is owned by James Springer and trained by Robert Lems. He paid $19 at the betting windows.
The next card of live harness racing at Running Aces Casino & Racetrack will go to post on Sunday night, June 26 at 6 p.m. CDT, with a carryover in the 50-cent Pick 6 wager of $900.92.
(With files from Running Aces)