To go last-to-first in a race is a daunting task on a half mile track for any horse. To do it against a top-flight field of Open horses is even more of a tall order. Last Sunday (March 5), Big Box Hanover (Uncle Peter) did just that when he swooped the group to score in the $17,000 feature at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Larry Stalbaum-trained trotter was dismissed at odds of 27-1 when he recorded his second win in the local Open this season. This Sunday (March 12), Big Box Hanover once again was tasked from coming from last after drawing post eight in his attempt to repeat in the feature.
Young reinsman Matt Athearn, who drove the six year old to victory last week, again sat behind Big Box Hanover as they once again got away last in the eight-horse Open. On Sunday, Big Box Hanover was third over after a first half that went in 57.3 and again made a late sweeping move to take over the lead in the stretch. The Stalbaum trainee stopped the timer in 1:56.1 for his fourth win of the season and third score in the local Open in ’23. Dewey Arnold (Jimmy Devaux) was the runner-up to Big Box Hanover for the second consecutive week while Abruzzo (Shawn Gray) earned the show spot.
The three-time Open winner paid $16.60 on Sunday and led an exacta and triple that returned $57 and $195, respectively. Post eight, no problem for Big Box Hanover!
Live racing continues on Monday at Saratoga with a first post set for noon.
Mike Sardella
Photo: Jessica Hallett
Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York
