7 days ago
Minnesota horse races to best record in North America this season
They're off at Running Aces in Columbus, Minnesota, though one 4-year-old mare is better than the rest.
"We've just had an amazing year with her. It's unbelievable," said owner Quentin Schneider. "It's something that you always dream to have, and you can go through hundreds of horses to try to get one that has this kind of ability and talent. It's rare to find."
Over The Moon For You, or as her friends call her, Lilah, is not only beating most every horse she competes against this season. With an outlandish 15 wins in 19 races, she's got the best record in North America.
"There's thousands of horses racing for thousands of stables at dozens of tracks," explained Running Aces track announcer and Assistant Racing Director Darin Gagne. "Plus, another 300 fairgrounds that have races as well throughout the country. So, when you figure out that many horses that are out there racing, we have the one that's won the most races here, out of all those. It's pretty cool."
Lilah and driver Aaron Lehman haven't been together long, but quickly developed a bond. They've often come from behind to rack up victories.
"I drove her first start and I didn't know what to expect from her," said Lehman, 22. "She felt like she was ready to go. I just let her roll along, and we ended up winning the race. It was a big surprise to me. We were 40-1 on the board."
Not anymore. The horse is a Minnesota-bred winner with a championship temperament.
"She's like a good pet, too. A sweetheart of a horse," said Schneider. "She can go win a race, and you can let her head check down and grab her with just two fingers and walk her around the racetrack like a lady. She's very proud of what she does."
