The Tuesday, July 2 program at Running Aces was loaded with exciting races and impressive performances and Tuggin On My Heart ($6.80) delivered one of the top performances of the night in the $21,233 Open Handicap Pace.
Driver Jacob Cutting left from post seven with the six-year-old son of Rockin Amadeus and floated up on the outside while American Dreamer (Todd Warren) charged to the front and Ynotthishos secured the pocket early. Once the top two settled in near the :27.1 quarter, Cutting pressed forward to take the lead and cleared to the top well before the three-eighths marker.
Tuggin On My Heart controlled the tempo from there, checking the field in for a :55.3 half-mile while Macs Marvel (Brady Jenson) got underway from fifth and No Lou Zing (Mooney Svendsen) followed his cover.
Macs Marvel moved into second position as they rounded past the three-quarter pole in 1:23.4 and the top two kicked clear of the rest near the top of the lane.
Tuggin On My Heart continued top pace strong and Macs Marvel tried to come and get him but the night belonged to Tuggin On My Heart, who registered a solid final quarter in :28 to prevail by 1-1/4 lengths in a seasonal best 1:51.4 mile. No Lou Zing was a further length back in third.
The winner is owned by Dave Dobbelmann and Cathy Dessert and is trained by Edwin Quevedo. Tuggin On My Heart now has six wins from 14 starts this year and 27 career wins with earnings surpassing the $300,000 mark. He paid $6.80 to win.
Cash Money Twenty captured the $12,329 Open Handicap Pace for freshmen with a very impressive gate-to-wire score in a new mark of 1:56.4.
Driver James Kennedy wasted no time in sending his charge to the front from post seven while Blazin For Life (Rick Magee) and Captain Nate (Jeff Hunt) dropped in second and third, respectively. Cash Money Twenty was never in doubt and he saved his best work for the stretch, responding very gamely when Blazin For Life pulled the pocket and drawing clear to win by 3-1/2 lengths over that foe while Captain Nate was a clear third.
The winner is owned by Heart And Soul Racing and trained by Brett Ballinger. The gelded son of Stevensville is now unbeaten in two career starts. He paid $5.80 to win.
International Ice delivered another big performance to capture the $12,329 Open Handicap Trot for freshmen in a new mark of 2:02 with Mooney Svendsen in the bike.
After going right to the lead from post six, the pair was never in doubt and drew away in the final stages to post an eight-length romp over Peanutbutterfalcon and SD Imma Superstar.
A gelded son of Ice Machine, International Ice is now two-for-two in his young career for owners Dave Dobbelmann and Triple Q Stables and trainer Edwin Quevedo. He paid $2.10 to win.
Edwin Quevedo led the Tuesday program with four training wins while drivers Dean Magee and Brady Jenson both recorded doubles.
Live harness racing returns to Running Aces on Wednesday, July 3 with a special Independence Day Celebration program, which gets underway with first post at 6 p.m. (CDT).
(Running Aces)