The featured event on the Thursday, June 5 harness racing program at Running Aces was the $20,205 Mares Open Handicap Pace and it offered a very talented field of nine, which provided fans with a thrilling contest.
Twist Little Girl N (Bryan Quevedo) blasted off the gate from post seven as did Majors Miracle (Dean Magee) from post five and those two traded blows through a fast :26.2 opening stanza.
Twist Little Girl N settled on top near the three-eighths pole and Majors Miracle was relegated to the pocket as Crazy Cute (Mooney Svendsen) travelled third. Better Watch It (Rick Magee) came first-up at the :54.1 half-mile checkpoint and Southern Sugar (Gerald Longo) and Fillister Photo (Billy Man) followed cover.
Twist Little Girl N still had the advantage as they clicked off three panels in 1:22.2 while Kele Kele (Brady Jenson) made a three-wide bid from mid-pack.
In the lane, Twist Little Girl N came under attack from all sides as Majors Miracle charged from the pocket and Crazy Cute dove inside. Crazy Cute ($60.80) was fastest to the wire, getting home three-quarters of a length ahead of Majors Miracle while Fillister Photo rallied late to edge out Twist Little Girl N for the show spot. The timer flashed 1:51 for a final time, which equalled the track record for aged pacing mares.
The winner, who had been dismissed by the public at 29-1, is a nine-year-old daughter of Art Major out of Crazy Luv Bug. She now has four victories this season from 13 starts and 32 career wins for owners Stephen Chambers and Kathie Plested, who also trains.
Linked To Chaos (Easy Again-Gypsys Good Girl) posted a career-best, gate-to-wire effort to capture the $23,288 Minnesota-sired sophomore fillies 'A' pace in 1:57.
Driver Brian Detgen sent her away quickly from post one and they secured the lead with a quick :27.2 opening panel and led comfortably throughout, holding firm in the lane over Skoochs Valentine (Jessie Pacheco) and Karpathian Queen (Chad Svendsen)
Linked To Chaos ($24.20) is owned by her breeder Jay De Long and is trained by Justin Anfinson.
The other Minnesota-sired events went to Blazin For Life (Brady Jenson, $11.60) in 1:55.3 for two in a row in the $23,288 colts 'A' division, and High Country Baby (Nick Roland, $4) in 1:57.3 in the $11,644 mixed 'B' division.
Brian Detgen led all drivers on Thursday with three wins while both trainers Maria Alvarez and Justin Anfinson each had three winners and driver Dean Magee also posted a double.
Live harness racing returns to Running Aces on Sunday, June 8 for a 12-race program that will get underway at 6 p.m. (CDT)
(Running Aces)