Driver Tim Maier was the star of the show at Running Aces on Saturday night with victories in half of the eight races. Despite all his success, he suffered a major disappointment when he fell from his inflatable bouncing pony in the track’s promotional Humbletonian race and finished last.
Maier’s four wins came with a pair of pacers from his own stable and a pair of trotters trained by David Wackford. The four-bagger started in the first race when the 59-year-old teamster guided Tempus Flight to a 1:59 maiden trot victory. The four-year-old Andover Hall gelding had been second on eight occasions in his 16-race career, but had never won one until now for Wackford and his wife Sandi.
Three races later Maier and the Wackfords returned to the winner’s circle with Scorpius, a five-year-old mare notching her fifth trotting victory in 49 career starts with a 1:59.2 effort.
Despite making a brief break on the backstretch, Maier urged his Love Live Laugh to a maiden pacing triumph in 1:59. It was the first pari-mutuel start ever for the three-year-old Hi Ho Silverheels filly owned by Tim’s wife Denise and son Jason.
After four consecutive runner-up finishes, Little Anna Mae got Maier his fourth victory winning an event for female $3,500 claimers in 1:56.4. The four-year-old Little Steven mare increased her lifetime bankroll to over $50,000 for owners Denise Maier and Eileen Brodbar.
“As much fun as it is to win four races in a night, I still would have liked to have done better in the hilarious promotional Humbletonian race," said Maier. "Congratulations to Stevie [Wiseman], but I was planning on walking away with the $1,000,000 'bounced' cheque if I hadn’t fallen off ol’ Phony Pony. I was laying there in the middle of the stretch thinking about that commercial — I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!”
For winning, the Minnesota Harness Horsemen's Association will make a $100 donation to Wiseman’s charity of choice -- the Pay It Forward Fund for Breast Cancer Patients. Wiseman was awarded the $1,000,000 'bounced' cheque as a keepsake.
(Running Aces)