Driver James Kennedy swept the featured Open events on the Tuesday night, July 23 program at Running Aces as part of a perfect performance.
Kennedy steered seven-year-old pacer Caliber ($6.80) to a sharp gate-to-wire tally by three-quarters of a length over Bombay Hanover (Luke Plano) and Intimidation (Todd Warren) in the $17,397 Open Handicap II Pace. Caliber was never in doubt in the 1:52.3 mile, which was his 22nd career win and pushed his total bankroll to $359,421. The winner, a son of Sweet Lou-Allstar Rating, is owned by Terrence Smith and Tony Beltrami and is trained by Williams Hernandez.
Kennedy also piloted Cash Money Twenty ($2.40) to his third career victory in as many starts, capturing the $12,329 Two-Year-Old Open Handicap Pace. Overwhelmingly favoured at 1-5 on the board, Cash Money Twenty went right to the lead from the outside post in the six-horse contest and led comfortably early before opening up on the field in the final quarter. He checked in 10-3/4 lengths the best while Tutto Bene (Warren) and The Minnesota Kid (Plano) rounded out the trifecta. The mile time of 1:54.2 was a new career mark for Cash Money Twenty and it is also the fastest freshman mile of the Aces season so far -- just one-fifth of a second off of the track record for freshman pacing geldings. The undefeated son of Stevensville-Hostess Lisa is owned by Heart And Soul Racing and is trained by Brett Ballinger.
Kennedy went three-for-three on the card, also winning his other drive in rein to Just Plain Loco ($8.20) in 1:52.3 for trainer Edwin Quevedo.
Trainer Hernandez posted a double on the program, driving his other winner, Speed Snip ($16.80) in a 1:54.1 mile to close out the Tuesday action..
Live harness racing returns to Running Aces on Thursday night, July 25 for a 12-race program that will feature a carryover of $12,357.50 in the 20-cent Pick-5 Jackpot wager, which will start in race eight. First post is set for 6 p.m. (CDT).
(With files from Running Aces)