With eight straight on-the-board finishes in the $22,535 Open Handicap at Running Aces since his arrival in late May, Fifty Rivers put forth another consistent showing for trainer Kathie Plested, winning the Minnesota oval's top trotting event for the fourth time on Tuesday, Aug. 4.
Fifty Rivers was the apple of the betting public's eye as the even-money choice and drew post six while Escaper was given a 3-1 chance from post seven and Peanutbutterfalcon, who started from the two-hole, showed a 4-1 chance according to punters.
Driver Casey Leonard was intent on being near the top with Fifty Rivers and left aggressively for position, taking the early lead while Lexus Markus (Dean Magee) was also quick off the mark and Escaper (Rick Magee) also surged from the outside post toward the front.
Escaper took control just before the quarter flashed up in :27.3 and Fifty Rivers accepted the pocket trip while Lexus Markus and Peanutbutterfalcon (Scott Cisco) travelled in third and fourth positions, respectively.
Escaper stole a :29.3 breather in the second panel while All Champy (Mooney Svendsen) got rolling from the back of the pack to go first-over, providing cover flow for Go Have Fun (Brady Jenson) down the backstretch.
Escaper still held court around the far turn as he posted three-quarters in 1:26.1 with Fifty Rivers snug in the pocket and his stablemate All Champy grinding outside of the leaders.
In the lane, All Champy forged to a narrow lead and Fifty Rivers surged into the passing lane to make it three across the track in a thrilling battle to the wire. Fifty Rivers prevailed in the final strides for a half-length tally while All Champy nosed out Escaper for second money in the 1:55.3 mile.
The winner is a four-year-old gelding by Fiftydallarbill out of Hudson Jesse who now has nine wins and earnings of $176,382 this season for owner J M F Racing of Freehold, New Jersey. The win tickets paid $4.
Justin Anfinson dominated the day's Minnesota-sired events with a training triple capped off by a milestone moment for driver Scott Cisco.
When Cisco sent the favoured The Steel Cage three-wide for the stretch drive in the $15,493 freshman 'B' pace, he was on his way to his 1,000th career driving win. The Gulf Shores-Best On The Bay gelding drew 2-1/2 lengths clear in 1:57.3 with Hopper Copper (Dean Magee) coming on for second over The Kin Bin (Brady Jenson).
Cisco, who earned his first driving win in 1998, has also trained 156 winners in his career.
Anfinson's other winners included favourite Captain Ricky, who took the $22,535 colt 'A' pace in 1:55.4 with Leonard in the bike, and Spiceitupwithoil, who posted a 39-1 upset in the $29,577 freshman trot in a 2:01.3 mile with Luke Plano driving.
Slipped Onmybeans made it four straight wins in the $22,535 freshman filly 'A' pace, posting a new career mark in 1:54.1 with Dean Magee driving the popular winner for trainer Scott Banitt.
The other freshman winner was the Dan Roland trainee Alfies Adoration in the $9,859 'C' pace in 1:58.3 in rein to Mooney Svendsen.
Leonard drove four winners on the nine-race program including his own trainee Dandys Freedom, who circled the field and surged late to win the $17,958 Open 2 Handicap Pace in 1:52.4. The four-year-old World Of Rocknroll-Char N Marg gelding recorded his seventh win of the season in 11 starts.
Live harness racing returns to Running Aces on Thursday, Aug. 6 with a 10-race program that will get underway at 6 p.m. (CDT).
(With files from Running Aces; photo of Fifty Rivers winning on Aug. 4)