It's Pacific Time too good in Open

Friday, May 28, 2021, Columbus, MN – It’s Pacific Time made her season’s debut a winning one in the $11,000 harness racing feature on Thursday night (May 27) at Running Aces.

The 4 year old daughter of It’s That Time was the freshman filly pacing Champion in Minnesota last year, winning 12 of 15 races and $77,550 and she was sent off at odds of 4-1 from post three in a compact but talented group of five distaffers.

Rick Magee, who has been her regular Aces pilot was in the bike and settled her away from the gate in third position, while race favorite Oneida Blue Chip Mooney Svendsen) set the pace, and Hottieonthehorizon (Nick Roland) sat in the pocket. The early pace was sensible (:28.3, :57.1) over the track listed ‘good’.

Brady Jenson got rolling with Anna B just past the half mile and applied heavy pressure to the leader down the backstretch and onto the far turn, getting the upper hand near the top of the lane while Hottieonthehorizon searched for room between horses and It’s Pacific Time angled to the far outside.

It was a thrilling battle to the finish wire as Anna B tried hard- but was unable to hold off the late charge of It’s Pacific Time ($10.20) who got home first in 1:54.4. Hottieonthehorizon picked up third money.

 

IT’S PACIFIC TIME REPLAY

The winner is owned by John Hendricks and trained by Joel Mc Danel.

The Thursday program also featured a $16,000 Minnesota-Sired sophomore pacing event, with a full field of nine going behind the gate.

SD Watchmenow (Brian Detgen) was fastest off the car from post eight, easily clearing the lead in front of public choice Alilthundadownunda (Nick Roland) and those two were clearly the best throughout the mile.

Alilthundadownunda mounted a rally into the stretch but was unable to get to front-runner SD Watchmenow ($11.20), who stopped the timer in 1:56.3. Double On The Rocks (Luke Plano) rallied late to pick up third.

The winner is a gelded son of Wind Me Up. Brian Detgen also trains and owns the pacer, along with Sarah Solheid.

Mooney Svendsen led the Thursday program with a driving double.

Live Racing returns to Running Aces on Sunday (May 30) with first post at 6:05 pm (CDT) and a Carryover in the Pick-5 Jackpot Wager of $4,012.84.

For full race results, click here.

by Darin Gagné, for Running Aces Casino, Hotel & Racetrack