Bruce Aldrich Jr. piloted three winners on the Wednesday card at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Aldrich, who became a Saratoga regular several years back, continues to drive at several tracks but hasn’t been in his strongest stretch over the first few months of the racing season in 2019. The track’s leading driver in ’15, Aldrich has been one of the top catch-drivers in New York State over the past decade and the 51 year old reinsman had a big day on Wednesday at the Spa. Aldrich swept the early double and went on to drive three winners on the matinee program. Two of Aldrich’s victories came with Janice Connor trainees as the out-of-town conditioner saw a pair of her trotters score on the afternoon card. Connor’s Yonkers Hanover (Credit Winner) and Dew Can Dew (Deweycheatumnhowe) each broke their maiden on Wednesday with Aldrich at the controls. Yonkers Hanover trotted to victory in 2:02 to record his first career win in just his third lifetime start. Dew Can Dew is a bit more of a veteran and though she was a maiden coming into her Wednesday’s try did have career earnings of close to $28,000 led by a strong freshman campaign in New York Sire Stakes Excelsior competition. The sophomore filly made a break after the start on Wednesday but her race’s odds-on favorite, Dew Can Dew rallied to prevail in 2:00.4 and lose her maiden status while competing for a purse of $7,250. Comprising the third portion of the Aldrich Wednesday hat trick was freshman pacer Han Solo (Mister Big) who scored in his lifetime debut for trainer Monique Cohen. After two winning qualifiers, Han Solo was impressive prevailing in 1:58.2 in his first career start. Despite a bit of a slow couple of months, Aldrich still sits in sixth in the local driver standings in 2019 and may be poised for a hot streak.
Live racing continues on Thursday at Saratoga with a 12:00 Noon first post.
Mike Sardella
Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino
