If Saturday night was the last start of the year for JK Panache (Art Major), then the veteran pacer wrapped up his campaign in style. A nominee for Pacer of the Year at Saratoga Casino Hotel once again this season, JK Panache displayed some of that back class in the $20,000 feature on Saturday. Shawn Gray powered the nine year old pacer out early and after getting mixed up in a bit of a speed duel marched him out to the lead. JK Panache set sizzling fractions of 27 and 55.2 in the first lap before clicking off three quarters in 1:23.3. The veteran dug in even when confronted by a couple of different rivals fending them off before stopping the timer in 1:53. The win was the fifth in the local Open Pace this year for JK Panache and the ninth victory overall on the season. Invader I’m Some Graduate (Jay Randall) finished second in his local debut while longshot In A Single Bound (Billy Dobson) earned the show spot. JK Panache was dismissed at odds of 7-1 on Saturday and led an exacta and triple that returned $169.50 and $1,108, respectively. JK Panache, who moved over the $100,000 mark in earnings for the season, gave his connections a pair of wins on the card as his trainer Dave Dewhurst teamed up with Shawn Gray earlier on the night for a victory with condition pacer Pantheon Hanover.
Live racing continues on Sunday afternoon for closing day of the 2018 racing season. The final race card of ’18 begins at 12:15pm.
Mike Sardella
Photo: Mikayla Gray
