Running Aces set for season opener this Sunday
At 0h02, on May 17, 2026 • By Darin Gagne, Running Aces Casino, Hotel and Racetrack
The trotters and pacers will go to the gate for the 2026 season opener at Running Aces on Sunday night (May 17) at 8 p.m. The kickoff program will mark the start of the 19th racing season at the Minnesota five-eighths-mile oval.
Nine competitive races await racing fans, and the card will be headlined by the $15,000 Open trot in race 6 where 5-year-old gelding Escaper has been installed as the 7-5 morning-line choice. The talented son of Muscle Hill made eight trips to the Running Aces winner’s circle last summer and also captured the 2025 Steve Wiseman Memorial trophy, en route to a $163,576 season.
Rick Magee, who posted a career best year in 2025 with just shy of $1 million in purse earnings will pilot the top choice for trainer Harold Herrera and the Maria Alvarez Stable. Escaper shows one win and one third place finish in his last three starts and appears in good recent form, in fact he crossed the wire first in his most recent outing at Yonkers on May 1 but was placed back due to interference.
Escaper has some formidable company to deal with in the opening night feature, including 3-1 second pick Chapolier, a son of Chapter Seven, who will make his local debut for owner/trainer/driver Luke Plano. Chapolier has one win in four outings so far in 2026 but spent many weeks as one of the winningest horses in the sport in 2025 with 15 trips to victory lane, he appears in good recent form as well but comes in off of a scratched sick line on April 24. If he is back to his best he demands respect.
Minnesota’s 2023 Horse of the Year, Iron Sharpens Iron, drew the pole position and will make his 6-year-old season debut with Scott Cisco in the bike for trainer Dan Roland. The sharp son of the late, great Banker Volo posted a very good campaign last year with five wins including a Night of Champions trophy. He was an impressive winner in a May 12 qualifier and is 7-2 on the morning line.
The current richest Minnesota-sired trotter Bringoverthemoney is also in this wide-open field and has kicked off his 11-year-old campaign with two wins over the local county fair track. The gritty son of Money Talks is on the cusp of $500,000 in career earnings and has 51 wins to his credit. He is a definite contender in this group and is listed at 4-1 with Dean Magee as driver for trainer Katie Horvat.
BP’s Lucky Star (Lemoyne Svendsen, 9-2) rounds out the feature race field and is no slouch himself. He is a current Aces track record holder and will begin his 6-year-old stand on Sunday. Last season he picked up four wins from 13 starts while banking a respectable $40,222 for trainer Rick Huffman. He was a solid second in his May 12 qualifier as well.
Running Aces offers action on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday nights and the 2026 season runs through Sept. 19.
