Driver Dean Magee had a stellar showing on closing weekend at Running Aces, chalking up six wins over two nights of racing including three on Consolations Night on Friday, Sept. 20 and three wins on the Night of Champions program on Saturday, Sept. 21.
The most notable of his six-pack of victories came in the $87,838 Minnesota championship for older male trotters, as he piloted Bringoverthemoney (pictured above) to his fifth consecutive Night of Champions win.
Magee sent the talented nine-year-old gelding to the front from post six while BPs Lucky Star (Chad Svendsen) got away second and Poko Loki (Luke Plano) settled away in third through the quick :28.1 opening panel.
Al Mar Spicey Talk (Mooney Svendsen) began a first-over bid near the half-mile and Iron Sharpens Iron (Rick Magee) immediately followed the cover.
Bringoverthemoney continued with firm control through the middle fractions of :58.3 and 1:27 while his stablemate Al Mar Spicey Talk and Iron Sharpens Iron continued to pursue the leader.
In the lane, Bringoverthemoney kep to his task while Al Mar Spicey Talk ducked to the inside with a big late surge and those two battled right down to the wire in a thrilling photo finish that showed Bringoverthemoney as the winner by a head. Iron Sharpens Iron was one length back in third in the 1:56.3 mile.
The top two finishers are owned by Joshua Horvat and trained by Katie Horvat.
Bringoverthemoney (Money Talks-Bringitover) now has 44 career wins and has earned $466,746 as the richest Minnesota-sired trotter to-date. He paid $3.40 to win.
DP Freedoms Chrome delivered another big performance in the $87,838 sophomore colt trot championship, taking command just past the half-mile juncture and drawing away late for a 7-1/2-length victory over Last Of Braggert (Mark Mintun) in 1:56.2 to remain undefeated in 15 Running Aces appearances. James Gould was the winning driver on DP Freedoms Chrome and the top two finishers are owned by Aimes Racing and trained by Elvin Zimmerman. DP Freedoms Chrome (For You Almostfree-Wannabee Loved) now shows 22 career wins from 23 races with earnings of $248,526. He paid $2.10 to win.
The biggest upset winner of the night was Al Mar Puredelight, a 28-1 outsider who made a mid-race move to the lead for driver James Kennedy and dominated the final three-eighths to draw away by 4-1/4 lengths in 1:59.1 in the sophomore filly trot for her eighth career win. The winner returned $58.40 for a $2 win ticket and combined with the runner-up, 111-1 shot Thom Cruise (Plano), to produce a $2 exacta payout that was a track record of $9,773.40. Al Mar Puredelight (Southwind Flash-Vestal Hanover) is owned by Jay and Eric De Long and Terry Knothe and is trained by Justin Anfinson.
Another one-two punch result was seen in the older male pacing division when Antetokounmpo rallied sharply in the lane to get up by a head over stablemate and last year’s winner SB Bodacious (Rick Magee) in 1:54.1, with King Of Aces (Williams Hernandez) home in third. Dean Magee was the winning pilot on Antetokounmpo, who returned $19.60, while the top two finishers are both owned by Rick Magee and trained by Mikaela Delgiudice. The five-year-old Easy Again-Wisconsin Believer gelding now has 15 career wins with earnings topping the $200,000 mark.
The freshman championship winners included SHS Southern Pride (Southwind Flash-Heathers Pride) in the filly trot in a career best 2:01.1, returning $7.20, with driver Rick Magee for owners Jay De Long and Terry Knothe and trainer Justin Anfinson; Peanutbutterfalcon (Quality Kemp-Lindys On Fire) in the colt trot in a career best 2:01.3, returning $8.80, with driver Jeff Hunt for owner/breeder Jeralene Roland and trainer Dan Roland; Skoochs Valentine (Karpathian Kid-If You Say So) in the filly pace in 1:59, returning $11.80, with driver Luke Plano for owner Ron Rettig-Zucchi and trainer Liberio Pacheco; and Swinging On By (Karpathian Kid-Swinging Again) in the colt pace in 1:57.1, returning $2.20, with driver Dean Magee in the bike for owner/trainer Brett Ballinger and additional owner Darren Taylor.
The other sophomore championship winners included El Parrandero Q (Wind Me Up-Lil Miss Knuckles) in 1:55 in the colt pace, returning $9.20, with driver Jacob Cutting in the sulky for owner Triple Q Stables and trainer Edwin Quevedo; and Deja Vu Babyboo (Karpathian Kid-Whatitdo Babyboo) in 1:54.4 in the filly pace, returning $3.60, with driver Nick Roland aboard for owner Van Otterloo Stables and trainer Bob Lems.
The other older division championship winners were Wilamar Spark (Southwind Flash-Dagmar) in the older mares trot in 1:57.3, returning $5.20, with Rick Magee driving for owners Jeanne Marquis and Jay De Long and trainer Justin Anfinson; and Fillister Photo (Easy Again-Filly Buster) in the older mares pace in 1:55, returning $5.40, with driver Todd Warren in the bike for owners Scorpio Stable and trainer Bob Lems.
Driver Dean Magee, trainer Justin Anfinson and owner Jay De Long all had triples on the card while driver Rick Magee and trainer Bob Lems and owner Terry Knothe all registered doubles.
Leading sires on the Night of Champions program were Southwind Flash and Karpathian Kid with three wins each, and Easy Again with two wins.
(With files from Running Aces)