Trainer Brett Derue is in the midst of the biggest season of his career at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Derue has been in a near dead-heat with Melissa Beckwith atop the trainer standings at the Spa for most of the 2023 campaign and on Sunday, the young conditioner enjoyed his biggest night of the year. Derue had six horses entered over the course of the thirteen race card on Sunday and all of his trainees appeared to have at worst a decent shot to prevail in their respective races. By the time the evening came to an end, Derue did in fact add four wins to his bulky total for the ’23 season. Love Yourself (Rock N Roll Heaven) concluded the big night for Derue when he outclosed his rivals in a $10,700 claiming pace to complete a natural hat trick (three consecutive winners on the card) while recording win number four on the evening for his trainer. Wally Hennessey piloted Love Yourself to the victory when the eight year old shifted gears late in the mile to swoop the group. Love Yourself paid $13.80 in the mild upset. His owners, Steve Picarazzi, Brett Derue and Darreyl Bullard also saw their Hot Joe (Brett Beckwith) score a first-over victory on Sunday while their Okie From Muskogee went coast-to-coast with Shawn Gray in the sulky. Picarazzi and Derue teamed up with Hennessey once again for a win when their American Tour N held on to secure her seventh victory of the season. Derue surged back in a small lead in the training standings with his Sunday grand slam.
Live racing resumes on Friday evening with action starting at 6:45pm. There will be a pick five carryover of $4,220 in the early pick five which start in Friday’s first race.
Mike Sardella
Photo: Jessica Hallett
Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York
