Twenty-year-old harness racing driver Bryan Quevedo notched his very first pari-mutuel driving win on a soggy Sunday, June 2 evening program at Running Aces.
The big win came aboard his own pacer, 13-year-old Robbie Burns N, a horse that has been in the Quevedo barn for over a year. The pacer was owned by the family stable, Triple Q Stables, and was trained by Quevedo's dad, Edwin, and then in April was transferred to Quevedo as the owner and trainer. Quevedo has sat behind the pacer five times now and his previous best finishes with him had been a fourth and a second at The Meadowlands in late April and early May, respectively.
On Sunday, they drew post two in a $7,671 claiming pace and inherited the inside post after a scratch. While they took some early action on the board, when the bell rang, the pair were sent off at over 6-1 odds. Quevedo sent his pacer away alertly and they fended off early bids by both Bunkerhill Bill (James Kennedy) and Pecorino (Rick Magee) to secure the lead.
Quevedo and Robbie Burns N posted swift fractions of :28 and :56.2 and remained in firm control by more than a length down the backstretch before adding onto the margin around the far turn.
They were on top by four lengths at the three-quarters in 1:25.1 and when they straightened in the lane, there was no doubt about the winner, Robbie Burns N ($15.80) kept on going and Bryan Quevedo had just orchestrated his first pari-mutuel driving win. They checked home 4-3/4 lengths ahead of the competition and stopped the timer at 1:55.1 over a sloppy surface.
It was career win number 37 for Robbie Burns N and pushed his career bankroll to $494,557. For Quevedo, his first pari-mutuel win came in his 11th trip behind the gate.
Majestic J ($3.20) became the first horse to score three wins in a row at Running Aces this season when he captured the $21,233 Open Handicap Trot in dramatic fashion, getting away fourth from post five and then charging first-up just past the three-eighths mark and making the lead as they straightened down the backside.
The five-year-old Walner stallion then proceeded to draw away from the field at every call, eventually hitting the wire 9-1/2 lengths ahead of his rivals in 1:55.1 for his 10th career win. Winnerup (Nick Roland) was second best and Dylan The Great (Todd Warren) was home in third.
Elson Miller is the winning trainer and driver for owner Stephanie Longo. Majestic J now has $289,124 in career earnings.
Bankers Quest (Jacob Cutting, $2.40) captured the $23,973 sophomore male trot with an impressive front-running score by three lengths in 2:01.2 for his second win of the year and his third career win for owner/breeder Jeralene Roland and trainer Dan Roland. Wherever Rio Goes was a sharp second and Insurrectionist was home in third.
The DanJer Farms connections also scored a gate-to-wire victory in the $23,973 sophomore filly trot with Bankers Grace (Rick Magee, $17.40) in 2:00.4 for a new career mark. Both winners are by Banker Volo. Bankers Grace is owned by her breeder Kennedy Roland and trained by Dan Roland. Heavy favourite Adira Disa was home in second and longshot Al Mar Puredelight checked home in third.
Greentea (Luke Plano, $3.80) captured the $9,589 second leg of the Banker Volo Trotting Series with a furious late charge to get up by a nose on the line over Alwaysvoodoomagic (Brandon Jenson) in 2:00.3 for his first career win for owner Jana Rucker and trainer Williams Hernandez.
Driver Luke Plano led the Sunday program with four wins while trainer Williams Hernandez scored a hat-trick of three wins. Trainer Gerald Longo and driver Todd Warren each had two winners on the card.
Live harness racing returns to Running Aces on Tuesday night, June 4 with first post at 6 p.m. (CDT) for a nine-race program that will feature a pair of carryovers: $1,397.54 in the 50-cent Hi-5 wager (Race 4) and $8,538.18 in the 20-cent Pick-5 Jackpot wager (Race 5).
(Running Aces)