The final Open Pace of the year at Saratoga Casino Hotel yielded its biggest upset of the season. Mariner Seelster (Camluck) pulled off the shocker in the $18,000 Saturday night feature by surging up the passing lane to win at odds of 55-1. Mark Ford owns and trains the seven year old pacer who was the clear longshot in the race but prevailed in the end, stopping the timer in 1:53 to register the upset. Invader Lucan Hanover (Stephane Bouchard) cut the mile and held on for second while Texas Terror N (Bruce Aldrich Jr) earned the show spot after a scramble in the stretch. Mariner Seelster, who was driven to victory by Greg Merton, paid $113 to win and led a big exacta and triple that returned $877 and $2,877, respectively.
Closing day for the 2016 racing season is Sunday with a matinee beginning at 12:15pm. Racing will resume on Sunday February 19th with matinees scheduled for that day and the following afternoon on President’s Day.
Mike Sardella
Photo: Michael Panzarino
