The harness racing program at Running Aces on Tuesday, June 4 had some big performances despite heavy rains and a sloppy track.
One of the most impressive such performances of the night came in a $8,356 conditioned pace when Motley Ray surged late in the lane to get up by three-quarters of a length and stop the timer at 1:52.2 to shatter the previous track record for intact four-year-olds. Linkjack Hanover set the previous record of 1:54 in 2016.
Driver Jacob Cutting orchestrated an impressive steer with the 4-5 public choice, surging from the gate to win the early battle for the lead before the :27.2 quarter, then yielding for the pocket while Topville Rocknluck (Todd Warren) took over the front. Cutting waited patiently in the pocket with Motley Ray through the middle fractions of :56 and 1:24.2 while Topville Rocknluck continued to pace strong on the lead as they straightened for home. Cutting steered Motley Ray to the outside and began to close in on the leader and then they kicked into another gear in the final 70 yards of the mile, surging strongly to the wire to get up for the record-setting win.
Breeder Cheyenne Yoder of Indiana owns Motley Ray (A Rocknroll Dance-Backstock), now a winner of six races lifetime and $60,728. Ariel Alvarez trains Motley Ray, who paid $3.80 to win.
PD The Big Easy (Mooney Svendsen, $4.40) picked up his third win in a row while capturing the $15,500 Open Handicap Pace in 1:53 to register his 25th career tally and eclipse the $210,000 mark in career earnings. The six-year-old gelding has gone gate-to-wire in three consecutive races at Running Aces, while climbing the conditioned ladder to the top level. The winner, a son of Sweet Lou-Igetagoodfeeling, lifted his earnings to $213,885 with the victory. He's owned by A Piece Of The Action, LLC and is trained by Bob Johnson.
Drivers Mooney Svendsen and Luke Plano both recorded doubles and trainer Bob Johnson also had two wins on the Tuesday card.
Live harness racing returns to Running Aces on Thursday, June 6 for a 12-race program, which will feature a carryover of $9,463.22 in the 20-cent Pick-5 Jackpot wager that starts in Race 8.
(Running Aces)