Saratoga NY

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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Saratoga Harness Racing Recap Tuesday 4/15

Amy Gentile — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 12:05:54 +0000

SS Superstar rode a four race win streak into her debut in the Open at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Tuesday. Larry Stalbaum sat behind his trainee who drew the rail in the $16,000 Fillies and Mares feature. SS Superstar powered out from her inside post and clicked off a first quarter in 27.1 before yielding to rival Alittlesidehustl N (Billy Dobson) who was last week’s Open winner. That 9-5 second-choice in the wagering led most of the way before facing a two-pronged attack in the stretch. SS Superstar closed sharply in the lane before getting up to win in 1:55.3. The favorite Arizona (Wally Hennessey) closed to be second while Alittlesidehustl N held on for third. SS Superstar paid $7.90 to win in what was her fifth straight victory and sixth on the 2025 campaign. The winner, who now has fourteen victories in thirty career starts, is owned by Shark Racing Stable of Bainbridge, NY.

Live racing continues on Wednesday with a 12pm start to the matinee.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

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Saratoga Harness Racing Recap Monday, 4/14

Amy Gentile — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 12:15:35 +0000

But Why (Crazy Wow) made his debut in the Open Trot on Monday at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Scott Mongeon-trained trotter rode a three-race win streak into a try in the $16,000 Open that saw him draw post position two in the six-horse feature. Driver Jacob Cutting situated But Why third in the early going chasing veteran Dewey Arnold (Jimmy Devaux) who carved out the fractions in the feature. Cutting moved But Why to the outside approaching three quarters as the four year old took dead aim on Dewey Arnold before squaring off in a nip-and-tuck battle in the around the final turn. But Why began to impose his will late and came on to win by a half length in 1:56.4. Dewey Arnold was a solid second while In A Tiny Way (Aaron Byron) earned the show spot. Despite being the morning line favorite, But Why paid $13.80 to win in the feature. For trainer Scott Mongeon, it was the second Open Trot score of the young season as his By The Book bested the group of top high-steppers on March 31 to register his first Open win of 2025 after being named Horse of the Year at the Spa in ’24. But Why, who now owns five victories in eight seasonal tries, is owned by Steve and Laura Stewart.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

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Saratoga Harness Racing Recap Sunday, 4/13

Amy Gentile — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 11:56:50 +0000

Little Willy (Up The Credit) won the Open Pace at Saratoga Casino Hotel for the first time in 2025 when the Melissa Beckwith trainee came from off the pace to power past his rivals on Sunday. Reinsman Brett Beckwith sat patiently with Little Willy in a race that saw fast first-half fractions of 27 seconds and 55.2. The seven year old moved off the rail and to the far outside around the final turn after leader Jahan Hanover (Wally Hennessey) checked in at three quarters in 1:23.4. When Little Willy hit the straightaway, he surged pacing past Jahan Hanover and the favorite Lanjo Lee (Jacob Cutting) to score in 1:53.2 in the $16,000 feature. Little Willy paid $8.10 to win in what was one of four victories on the card for Brett and Melissa Beckwith who teamed up for a Sunday grand slam. Mark Beckwith owns the Sunday Open winner.

Live racing continues on Monday with a matinee that starts at 12pm.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

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Saratoga Harness Racing Recap Wednesday, 4/9

Amy Gentile — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 19:19:37 +0000

The Wednesday program at Saratoga Casino Hotel featured a training double for conditioner Dale Lawton. The Vernon Downs-based veteran tallied two winners on the matinee card highlighted by an open-length score by Wayward Blue Chip (Tall Dark Stranger) in an $8,800 conditional race. The sophomore filly drew the rail in pursuit of her second win of the season, a victory she secured in decisive fashion in a new 2025-best win time of 1:57.4. Wayward Blue Chip had hit the board in four consecutive starts heading into a Wednesday tilt that saw her go coast-to-coast with Jimmy Devaux at the controls. Wayward Blue Chip was a three-length winner on Wednesday to give her connections their second victory on the card after youngster Dreamscape AFS went wire-to-wire for Devaux and Lawton to secure his first win of the ’25 campaign. Lawton co-owns both of his Wednesday winners with Chris Lawton.

Live racing resumes on Sunday with a first post time of 12pm.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

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