The Saturday evening (Aug. 10) harness racing program at Running Aces featured a $16,000 Minnesota-sired three-year-old pace, with seven sophomores lining up for battle in the night's opener.
Headlining the field were two very accomplished gelding pacers: SB Bodacious (3-5) and 2018 Minnesota Harness Horse of the Year Burning Blaze (2-1).
Sweet Vivian was an outsider in the wagering at 16-1, and had just picked up her first lifetime win in a maiden event in her 21st career try. Driver Lemoyne Svendsen sent her right to the front from post six, then yielded for the pocket when Steve Wiseman came charging with Burning Blaze as the quarter-mile timer flashed :28.1 and race favourite SB Bodacious (Rick Magee) had landed in third.
The lineup remained the same through a strong middle half of :56.4 and 1:24.4, with SB Bodacious launching a first-over attack near the half but never making much of an impression on the leader.
Turning for home, it was clear that Sweet Vivian was full of pace in the pocket, and as they straightened she exploded from the garden spot to roll by the leader in the final sixteenth. Sweet Vivian ($34.80) checked in 1-1/4 lengths ahead of Burning Blaze in a career mark of 1:53.4 for her second win in a row.
Big long shot Flying Fritz (41-1) and Jared Seekman got home in third.
Sweet Vivian is a filly by General Aidid out of the Kents On Nuke mare Cause For Alarm. She is owned by Timothy Lems and trained by Robert Lems.
The $14,000 Open Trot also went to post on Saturday night, with a nice group of seven top-level trotters squaring off behind the gate. Winning Lyric (Dean Magee) was the public choice (6-5) after his impressive sweeping win in this event last week, but this week's edition would be dominated by My Uncle Cuz (Don Harmon), who worked hard from post 7 to get past Silverlode (Mooney Svendsen) for the early lead. He then led every step after that, posting a three-quarter length victory in 1:56 with Winning Lyric flying home from the back of the pack to get second over Silverlode.
My Uncle Cuz ($11.80) is a five-year-old son of ABC Garland out of the Mr Vic mare Malibu Marley. The talented trotter is having a fantastic season at Running Aces and has now won four of his last eight races for owner Krista Harmon and trainer-driver Don Harmon.
Don Harmon led the Saturday program with a driving double.
Live racing returns to Running Aces on Sunday (Aug. 11) with post time at 6:00 p.m. Central.
(Running Aces)