Running Aces is set for the biggest weekend of the Minnesota harness racing season, featuring the $50,000 Dan Patch Free-For-All Pace sponsored by Watch And Wager.
A talented field of 10 pacers will line up behind the gate for the 2019 Dan Patch Final in the ninth race on Sunday (July 21), with defending Champion Nine Ways (Dean Magee) installed as the 6-5 morning line favourite. The talented five-year-old gelding by Delmarvelous is in search of his sixth consecutive win, and enters this year’s final after posting the fastest mile in Running Aces history (1:50.3) in his elimination.
Rockin Speed (Travis Seekman) has been listed at 5-2 on the early line as the second choice, and comes into the final off a sharp second-place finish in his elimination, timed in 1:51.1. The 2017 Dan Patch winner Firedrake (Nick Roland) is a close third on the starting odds-board with a 3-1 morning line and will make his third consecutive Dan Patch FFA Final start. He was a sharp second to Nine Ways in the track record-producing elimination heat, coming home in :27.3 with his mile timed in 1:50.4 - his fastest career clocking.
Below is a list of the full field for the 2019 Dan Patch FFA Final.
The 2019 Dan Patch FFA Final at Running Aces
Sunday, July 21 - Race #9
Purse - $50,000
1. Top Notch (Rick Magee) 6-1
1A. SF Donttellonme (Joe Casagranda) 6-1
2. Firedrake (Nick Roland) 3-1
3. Ideal Ace (Stephen White) 15-1
4. Annihilator (Don Harmon) 10-1
5. Nine Ways (Dean Magee) 6-5
6. Rockin Speed (Travis Seekman) 5-2
7. To The Limit (Steve Wiseman) 10-1
8. Bettors Promise (James Yoder) 8-1
9. Fox Valley Gemini (Casey Leonard) 9-2
*SF Donttellonme starts from post 10 in the second tier.
The Dan Patch weekend also features two additional major annual events, which both go to post on Saturday (July 20). The $25,000 Ron Banks Pace features a field of ten top level pacers going into battle in race eight, with Holdingallthecards (Dean Magee) installed as morning line favourite at 8-5 over Stuckey Dote (Rick Magee) at 9-5.
The $25,000 Vernon Devine Trot will anchor the Saturday evening card in race nine, with a talented field of nine square-gaiters going to post, including newcomer Pine Dream (Dean Magee) who has been tagged at 2-1 on the early line, with Aces stalwart Banker Volo (Tim Maier) listed a close second choice at 5-2.
Post times for both Dan Patch Weekend cards are 6:00 pm (CDT).
(Running Aces)