Flick A Fly established a new track record for sophomore pacing fillies on Saturday night at Running Aces, shaving two-fifths of a second off the old record established a year ago by Show Runner.
The daughter of Voracious Hanover, owned by the Van Otterloo Stables, sat the pocket and took advantage of quick early fractions set by favoured Delco Voracious, then closed with a :28.3 final panel to win the $13,000 race for Minnesota-sired colts and fillies in 1:52.1. Regular reinsman Rick Magee was in the sulky for trainer David Flinn. Stablemate Gravelsinmytravel (Steve Wiseman) finished second with Bunkerhill Bill (Gerry Longo) garnering the show dough.
Country Jewel (Nick Roland) captured the $8,000 Fillies and Mares Open Pace for the second straight week, edging Love Live Laugh (Tim Maier) and Blazing Fury (Magee) despite an outside post position. Owner/trainer George Reider purchased the Minnesota-sired six-year-old mare privately two months ago and returned her to Minnesota where she has earned the bulk of her $100,000-plus career bankroll. She has responded with two wins and three place finishes in recent Open class competition and looms as a favourite in the aged mares division when Minnesota State Championships Night brings the curtain down on the 2014 Running Aces season on August 30.
Veteran driver Lemoyne "Moonie" Svendsen won a $4,000 overnight race on Sunday with owner/trainer Mark Anderson's colt Prodigal. It was the 2,999th victory in the 55-year-old Svendsen's career. The Minnesota native, who has plied his trade on the Cal Expo-Running Aces circuit for the past several years, has seven drives as he seeks to reach the coveted 3,000 wins plateau when racing resumes Sunday night.
(Running Aces)