By Darin Gagne, for Running ACES Casino, Hotel and Racetrack
Top level pacers were in the spotlight on the Tuesday night (July 6) Harness Racing program at Running Aces and Caliber shined brightest of all, turning in the fastest mile of the meet to date in the top feature event of the night.
Caliber was sent off as the heavy public choice in the $16,500 Open Handicap and he blasted off the gate from post five for driver Luke Plano to establish immediate control of the affair and post an opening panel in :28 while Zanetti (Rick Magee) got away in the pocket and EL’s Disco Johnny (Dean Magee) dropped in third.
Caliber posted a middle half in :54.3 which left his rivals scrambling to keep up and the race was clearly for second place.
In the lane Caliber continued to pace strong and he checked in 5-1/2 lengths ahead at the wire and stopped the timer in 1:50.4 with Alilthundadownunda (Nick Roland) rallying for second over Zanetti.
Caliber ($2.80) is a 5-year-old son of Sweet Lou who now shows five wins in 15 starts this season. He is owned by Terrence Smith and Tony Beltrami and is trained by Maria Alvarez, who had three wins on the Tuesday program.
Numbered Account (Dean Magee, $3.80) posted a sharp gate-to-wire win in the $13,000 Open II Handicap for his third win of the season. He was fastest of all from the gate from post five and he maintained firm control throughout the affair while Ragged But Right (Roland) followed in the pocket and Watchmeneighneigh (Gerald Longo) challenged from first-up.
Numbered Account posted an opening half in :57.1 and turned up the speed from there to keep his rivals in chase mode, coming home in :55.1 to post a solid two length tally in 1:52.3 while Watchmeneighneigh was able to out-kick Ragged But Right for the place money.
The winner is a six year old gelding by Roddy’s Bags Again and is owned by Cathy Dessert and trained by Justin Anfinson.
The $11,000 Open III Handicap went to 13 year old Pancetta (Dean Magee, $4.40), who posted his sixth win of the season and 47th career tally with an impressive rally from off the pace in 1:52.4 for a seasonal mark. What Ya Thinkin (Brady Jenson) was heavily involved in the action-packed affair and checked in second and early leader Major Offense (Mooney Svendsen) was home in third.
Pancetta is by No Pan Intended, he now shows $543,994 in career earnings and he is owned by Richard Morita and David Yamada and trained by Liberio Pacheco.
