The Minnesota Harness Racing community is mourning the loss of trotter Banker Volo, who passed away suddenly on Tuesday, August 25.
Banker Volo was a fan favourite at Running Aces since he stormed onto the scene in Minnesota in 2016 and immediately began winning races and setting records. Over his five years on the Minnesota track, he set or re-wrote track records six times, and still holds the record for aged horses.
Banker Volo won 25 of his 52 races at Running Aces and was on the board after 40 of those 52 trips to the 'Aces' starting gate. He earned $191,452 at the Minnesota track. Overall, the son of Yankee Glide made 148 starts with 43 wins, 31 seconds and 15 thirds while bankrolling $489,272.
He was owned since 2015 by Jeralene and Daniel Roland, of Grinnell, Iowa. In recent years he was trained by Angie Coleman when at Hawthorne, by Adam Short, Krista Harmon and Mel Owens when at Dayton, by Rick Magee when at the Meadows, and most recently by Jenni King when in Minnesota. His primary drivers at Running Aces have been Nick Roland, Luke Plano and Rick Magee.
Banker Volo with his majestic stride, while recently warming up to race at Running Aces. Daniel Roland in the bike.
He was bred by Kentuckiana Farms and Jorgen Jahre Jr., and as a youngster was a part of the Erv Miller stable. He was unraced at two and took a sophomore mark of 1:52.3f at Pocono, which remained as his overall career mark. At age five he suffered an injury that required rehabilitation and he was sold at the Harrisburg sale and wound up in the barn of Marcus Meander who subsequently sold him to Dan and Jeri Roland.
Banker Volo has served double duty at stud and on the track since 2016. He stood his first year in Iowa and then switched to Minnesota in 2017, standing at Jenni King's farm. His first Minnesota crops of two and three-year-olds are now racing, and winning at Running Aces. His legacy on the racetrack will not be forgotten, and his offspring will now carry his legacy far into the future.
Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the connections of Banker Volo.
(Minnesota Harness Racing)