Mr Jackpot continued his impressive freshman season at Running Aces on Tuesday night by capturing a two-year-old Minnesota-sired trot in 1:59.4 track record time.
The victory was the fourth in his last five starts for the son of Money Talks owned by Glen Wilson, trainer Brett Ballinger and Carl Swanson.
Driver Dean Magee was content to sit third during the :30.2 opening panel, but swept heavily-favoured Mr Jackpot to the front during the second quarter mile, with the half reached in 1:00.2. A final half in :59.2 was plenty to beat Margins Echo (Rick Magee) by over three lengths with Big Red Rail (Duane Roland) edging Abras Momentom (Gerry Longo) for third.
The winner’s share of the $8,000 purse increased Mr Jackpot’s seasonal slate to four wins, three seconds and a third in eight starts and a bankroll of $22,910 with a $21,000 Minnesota State Championship race next up on Running Aces’ closing night September 12.
A tandem $8,000 race for state-bred freshman filly trotters went to RSS Express (Duane Roland) in a 2:02.3 romp.
Roland owns the Rail Splitter filly with his wife Connie. She now sports four wins, five runner-up finishes and a show finish in ten starts resulting in $24,625 thus far in her first season. Whatevershesgot (Jenni King) and The Last Railway (Brandon Jenson) were next to cross the finish, but were no match for RSS Express.
Chewy Baca (Travis Bowman) continued his domination of the $9,600 Open Pace with his fourth win in five tries at the top level for owner Dr. James Findlay and trainer Sean Lancaster.
Chewy Baca’s 1:53 clocking put him one-half length ahead of Outlawdangruswatrs (Nick Roland) at the finish with Quality Sport (Steve Wiseman) closing to finish third.
(Running Aces)