Racing Archives - Saratoga NY

Saratoga Harness Racing Recap Monday 5/5

Amy Gentile — Tue, 06 May 2025 14:50:49 +0000

Comeonover Hanover secured his first Open Trot victory of the season at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Monday afternoon as the Andy Gardner went wire-to-wire to spring the mild upset. Leon Bailey sat behind Comeonover Hanover who moved out to the early lead over a sloppy track in Monday’s $16,000 feature at the Spa. The seven year old moved quickly through a first quarter of 27.3 before getting a breather and backing things down to a half in 58 seconds. Comeonover Hanover battled the race’s favorite Delayed Hanover (Wally Hennessey) throughout the second half but rebuffed that one once and for all around the final turn before scoring in 1:57. Delayed Hanover, who was a beaten favorite for the fifth consecutive start, was a strong second to Comeonover Hanover while City Of Hope (Jimmy Devaux) earned the show spot. Comeonover Hanover, who paid $12 to win, is owned by Percy Elkins of Ontario, Canada.

Live racing continues on Tuesday afternoon at Saratoga with a matinee set to begin at 12pm.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

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Saratoga Harness Racing Recap Sunday 5/4

Amy Gentile — Mon, 05 May 2025 18:59:16 +0000

Unrivaled Hanover (Bettor’s Delight) won the Open Pace for the first time at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Sunday afternoon when the Jackie Greene-trained pacer went coast-to-coast. The four year old enjoyed a big season in 2024 but didn’t vault into Open company until debuting in the $16,000 feature on Sunday when Jimmy Devaux sat behind the rising star. Devaux piloted Unrivaled Hanover to a 1:53 score when coming from off the pace last week (Apr 27) when competing in the conditional ranks. In his Open debut, Unrivaled Hanover flashed speed and surged through a first quarter in 26.3 before backing it down for a 31 second second-quarter breather. Supported to the tune of odds of 8-5, Unrivaled Hanover completed a coast-to-coast victory in 1:53.1 over a track labeled ‘good.’ Huntanover (Brett Beckwith) sat the pocket to the winner and finished second while Komodo Beach (Wally Hennessey) earned the show spot. Unrivaled Hanover is owned by Kellogg Racing Stables.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

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Saratoga Harness Racing Recap Wednesday 4/30

Amy Gentile — Thu, 01 May 2025 14:05:14 +0000

Six Sticks completed a training double for conditioner Andy Gardner on the Wednesday card at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The four year old trotter has enjoyed a strong start to his 2025 campaign and on Wednesday, he went wire-to-wire to prevail in his $8,800 division of a non-winners of two race lifetime conditional race. Six Sticks wound up as his race’s 2-1 betting favorite as he moved out to the early lead with Leon Bailey at the controls before going coast-to-coast in 1:58.1 to record his third victory of the year. Gardner’s Free Flying Freddy prevailed earlier on the matinee card when the three year old scored a decisive win in an $8,200 race for young colt and gelding pacers. Free Flying Freddy’s win was a three-length score that came in 1:58 with Aaron Byron in the driver’s seat. Gardner, who finished second in the local trainer standings in his career-best 2021 season, continues to be a staple among local trainers at the Spa.

Live racing resumes on Sunday with a first post time for the matinee set for 12pm. There will be a carryover in the Pick Five of $3,639. The Pick Five begins in race one on Sunday.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

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Saratoga Harness Racing Recap Tuesday, 4/29

Amy Gentile — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 12:23:24 +0000

Arizona won the Fillies and Mares Open for the third time of the season on Tuesday afternoon at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Melissa Beckwith trainee was named Filly and Mare Pacer of the Year in 2024 and has once again established herself as the top lady distaffer in the early stages of the ’25 campaign at the Spa. Arizona did it the hard way on Tuesday as she attempted to leave to overcome her outside post. The six year old got parked the mile but fought gamely on the outside throughout. The gutsy mare got the better of her rivals when she stopped the timer in 1:55.1 for her fourth win of the season and third in the local feature for the ladies. Iron Mistress (Jimmy Devaux) was the runner-up in her first try in the local Open while Blue Glamber (Aaron Byron) earned the show spot. Arizona, who is owned by Wendy Timpano, paid $3.30 to win. She was one of two winners on the card for the Beckwith stable and one of three on the day for Hall of Famer reinsman Wally Hennessey.

Live racing continues on Wednesday with a matinee that begins at 12pm.

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Saratoga Harness Racing Recap Monday, 4/28

Amy Gentile — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 11:49:27 +0000

But Why (Crazy Wow) continued his breakout season at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Monday when the Scott Mongeon trainee won the Open Trot for the second time. The four year old joined the Mongeon stable last season following a summer that saw him compete in the Excelsior Series as part of the New York Sire Stakes. But Why enjoyed some success last year but the early portion of the 2025 campaign has brought upon massive results for the most recent trotting star to come out of the Mongeon barn.

But Why debuted in the local Open on April 14^th while already a four-time winner in ’25. The gelding pulled off a mild upset in his first start in the trotting feature as driver Jacob Cutting piloted him to a mild upset at odds of 5-1. Following a strong-closing fourth place finish last week, But Why drew the rail for Monday’s try in the $16,000 Open. Cutting got a two-hole trip for But Why who as the second-choice in the wagering at odds of 2-1 sat the pocket to Delayed Hanover (Wally Hennessey) before powering past the favorite in the stretch to score in 1:55.1. The win time marked a new lifetime-best for But Why whose victory was his sixth in ten seasonal starts. Delayed Hanover was the runner-up while Busting With Pride (Billy Dobson) earned the show spot. Mongeon, who trained 2024 Trotter and Horse of the Year By The Book, has another upper echelon high-stepper in his stable who is now becoming a fixture in the Open.

Live racing continues on Tuesday afternoon with a first post set for 12pm.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett

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Saratoga Harness Racing Recap Sunday 4/27

Amy Gentile — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 18:15:29 +0000

Mr Mclaren N (Mach Three) had a strong debut at Saratoga Casino Hotel on April 21^st when the Larry Stalbaum trainee battled through a first-over trip to finish second in his U.S. debut. On Sunday afternoon, Stalbaum once again sat behind the newest member of his stable as the eight year old went coast-to-coast to prevail for the first time in the $16,000 Open Pace at the Spa. Mr Mclaren N rattled off fast fractions of 26.4 and 55.3 in the opening half while parking out a rival every step of the way. The Spa newbie stayed strong rattling off three quarters in 1:24.1 before stopping the timer in 1:53.3 for his first local score. Longshot Pirate Hanover (Aaron Byron) closed sharply at odds of 14-1 to be the runner-up once again in the feature while Captain Tell (Brett Beckwith) earned the show spot in his Open debut. Mr Mclaren N, who was the even-money betting favorite in the Sunday feature, is owned by Eric Prevost. Stalbaum’s stable had two winners on the card as his Mr Huggins went wire-to-wire in leg two of the Doc Frank Memorial Pacing Series on Sunday with Matt Athearn in the sulky.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

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Saratoga Harness Racing Recap Wednesday, 4/23

Amy Gentile — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 11:49:58 +0000

Wednesday marked the start of the annual Virginia O’Brien Memorial Pacing Series for fillies and mares at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The springtime series began a decade ago and the tenth installment for distaffers got underway with three divisions of the first leg that each went for a purse of $10,000. Little Instigator (Heston Blue Chip) cruised to a decisive victory as her race’s 1-9 betting favorite in leg one of the series. The Joe Skowyra trainee prevailed in her local debut last week (April 16) and on Wednesday was even more impressive, pacing away to score in a career-best 1:55.2 with Matt Athearn in the sulky. The filly is now five-for-eight in her young career.

Wayward Blue Chip (Tall Dark Stranger) parlayed a pocket ride to victory in her division of the Virginia O’Brien Memorial as reinsman Jimmy Devaux guided the Dale Lawton-trained filly to her third score of the season. Wayward Blue Chip sat the two-hole behind upset-minded Cindy’s Faith (Larry Stalbaum) before pacing past her to set a new lifetime mark of 1:56. Wayward Blue Chip was the 8-5 favorite in her division of leg one. The final division of the day went the way of Captain Catch. Michelle Warner trains the four year old mare who had Brett Beckwith piloting on Wednesday. Beckwith guided Captain Catch to victory for the fourth time in the five starts in which he’s sat behind her. In leg one, the Warner trainee came from off the pace to score in 1:57.4. There are three legs of the O’Brien Memorial scheduled leading up to the Final that will take place next month.

Live racing resumes on Sunday at the Spa with a matinee that begins at 12pm.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

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Saratoga Harness Racing Recap Tuesday, 4/22

Amy Gentile — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 12:10:04 +0000

Kingpin Hanover (E L Titan) toughed out a first-over victory in Tuesday’s $16,000 Open Trot at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Jody Riedel trains the five year old who was making just his third start of the season following a win in a lower level condition race. Drawing post five in his return to the Open, Kingpin Hanover wound up first-over in a race that saw In A Tiny Way (Aaron Byron) brush to the lead after a first half that went in 1:00.2. Yucatan Party Man (Jordan Derue) had been posting the first-half fractions when he was confronted and subsequently bypassed by In A Tiny Way as the feature’s lone lady took command until being challenged by Kingpin Hanover in the final quarter of the mile. Kingpin Hanover reigned supreme as he stopped the timer in 1:57.3 following a strong back-half while grinding it out first-over. In A Tiny Way was the runner-up while Yucatan Party Man held third. Kingpin Hanover, who was backed by the betting public as the 5-2 favorite, paid $7.90 to win.

Live racing continues on Wednesday at Saratoga with a first post time set for 12pm. There is a Pick Five carryover of $4,508 featured on Wednesday’s card with the Pick Five beginning in the afternoon’s first race.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

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Saratoga Harness Racing Recap Monday, 4/21

Amy Gentile — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 12:01:05 +0000

Lanjo Lee became the second pacer to win the Open four times this season at Saratoga Casino Hotel when on Monday afternoon, the Jeff Sorenson trainee recorded an impressive victory in the feature. Lanjo Lee has done most of his best work from off the pace in his time at the Spa but in Monday’s installment of the $16,000 Open Pace, the six year old son of So Surreal flashed speed to make the early lead with reinsman Leon Bailey at the controls. The 7-5 betting favorite rolled unopposed through a first quarter in 27.3 and a half in 57.1 before being pressured by Mr Mclaren N (Larry Stalbaum) who was making his U.S. debut. Those two talented pacers slugged it out for close to a half mile before Lanjo Lee went pedal to the metal and powered away to win the feature by two and a quarter lengths. The final time in the Open was 1:52.4 which is the fastest clocking for any horse at Saratoga in the 2025 campaign. Lanjo Lee is owned by Gordon Swift. Longshot Pirate Hanover (Aaron Byron) closed to be the runner-up to Lanjo Lee while Mr Mclaren N earned the show spot in his first local try. Lanjo Lee’s win in the Open was his fourth on the year matching The Good Doctor for most of any pacer in ’25.

Live racing continues on Tuesday with a trotting-filled card set to begin at 12pm.

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Saratoga Harness Racing Recap Wednesday 4/16

Amy Gentile — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 12:09:01 +0000

Hall of Fame driver Wally Hennessey made his return to Saratoga Casino Hotel this week and the veteran sulky star picked up right where he left off from last season. Hennessey, who is closing in on 12,000 wins for his career, sat behind the Jaymes McAssey-trained Hugh Heston in the Wednesday feature at Saratoga Casino Hotel. McAssey acquired the four year old pacer last month and saw him hit the board in all three of his local starts heading into Wednesday’s try in the $10,500 feature for colts and geldings. Hennessey wasted little time powering Hugh Heston out to the front-end while the Spa newbie pursued his second victory of the season. The race’s 3-2 betting favorite rattled off a fast first quarter in 27.1 before backing it down to get a half in 58.2. From there, the McAssey trainee never faced an anxious moment before reporting home in 1:56 to prevail by a length and a quarter. Hugh Heston is owned by Morrison Racing Stables of Pennsylvania. McAssey, who sits in second place in the trainer standings at the Spa this season, recorded a double on the card when his Crunchberry De Vie scored in an $8,800 pacing event with Brett Beckwith at the controls.

There is no live racing on Easter Sunday (4/20). Live racing resumes on Monday with a matinee set to begin at 12pm.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

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