Trainer/driver Nick Roland posted an impressive sweep of the first four races on the Tuesday night, Aug. 12 program at Running Aces, completing the grand slam with a very sharp effort from freshman male pacer Wild About Me, who surged from the pocket during the final sixteenth of a mile to capture his second win in just three career starts.
Roland left aggressively from post eight in the $20,548 Minnesota-sired 'A' freshman male pace with the son of Wind Me Up-Wild About Eagle and battled early with the heavy favourite, Set Free (Rick Magee), as they posted a quick opening panel in :28.1 with Wannatalkaboutmeme (Mooney Svendsen) watching the early battle from third.
Set Free dictated the moderate middle fractions in :58 and 1:28 before turning up the speed for the final quarter while Wild About Me tracked intently in the pocket and Luke Skyrocker (Elson Miller) tried a first-over bid.
In the lane, Set Free paced strong but Wild About Me emerged from the pocket with pace and those two battled to the finish with Wild About Me surging past in the final strides for a three-quarter-length tally in a career-best 1:56.2 mile while Whatevrittakes Two (Luke Plano) rallied late for third money. He paid $16.40 to win.
Wild About Me is owned by Set The Pace Racing.
Sparklinchardonnay surged inside late for Roland in the $20,548 Minnesota-sired freshman filly 'A' pace to get up by a head in the final stride over Starstruck Fool (Scott Cisco) in a thrilling finish in 1:56.4 with race favourite Merry Tyler Mare (Billy Mann) checking home in third. The $2 win mutuel was $9.60.
The Aracache Hanover-Pino Grigio miss, who is now two-for-five in her career, is owned by Roland as well as Carol Polkowske.
Roland kicked off the eight-race card with the undefeated two-year-old Al Mar Flash Over earning her sixth straight win in a $23,973 Minnesota-sired freshman filly trot.
Overcoming the outside post eight, the standout Southwind Flash-Vestal Hanover filly romped to an 8-3/4-length triumph, clocking splits of :28.1, :59.2 and 1:29.4 along the way and lowering her lifetime mark to 2:00. Sent postward as the overwhelming favourite, Al Mar Flash Over paid $2.20 to win. Anitras Dance (Scott Cisco) and Breeze Of Merit (Chad Svendsen) were the best of the rest.
Al Mar Flash Over is owned by Thomas & Kathy Shipley, along with Royal Roland.
In another $23,973 Minnesota-sired freshman trot for the colts and geldings, HM Magical Money prevailed from the pocket in a head decision for Roland, besting pacesetter Sv Rough And Tough (Chad Svendsen) in a new mark of 2:02.2, with Wisco Moni Heist (Sean Smithpeters) third. He paid $4.80 to win.
The Tom Ridge-Bit A Magic gelding, who is perfect in his first five starts, competes for the same ownership group as Al Mar Flash Over.
The Pick-5 Jackpot was hit with one lucky player taking home $15,576.20 for a 20-cent base wager.
Live harness racing returns to Running Aces on Thursday, Aug. 14, with first post set for 6 p.m. (CDT).
(With files from Running Aces; photo of Wild About Me winning on Aug. 12)