Reign Of Honor (Father Patrick) made his Open Trot debut on Monday afternoon at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Tiffanee Staley trainee was beaten as a 1-5 betting favorite two weeks ago when he came up second-best while racing at the Spa for the first time. Last week (May 31), the five year old avenged that defeat with a decisive score in an $11,250 race for conditional trotters. This week it was up into the $14,000 Open for Reign Of Honor who was backed by the betting public to the tune of even money with Denis St. Pierre in the sulky. The favorite left a bit at the start but still had to come from off the pace in the Monday feature. With upset minded Exarch (Jimmy Devaux) on the engine setting fast fractions, Reign Of Honor followed second-over cover and tipped off that cover following three-quarters that went in 1:24.4 on a hot afternoon in upstate NY. Exarch held strong but didn’t have the power to turn away Reign Of Honor in the stretch as the favorite surged by before stopping the timer in 1:55, the fastest clocking of the season for a trotter at the Spa. Reign Of Honor now owns three wins in nine seasonal starts and has amassed over $470,000 in just 48 lifetime starts. Exarch was a strong second on Monday while dismissed at odds of 9-1 while Winning Legends (Justin Huckabone) earned the show spot. The exacta and triple in the Open paid $27.20 and $101.50, respectively. Reign Of Honor is owned by Randy Zane of Laval, QC, Canada.
Live racing continues on Tuesday afternoon at Saratoga with first post time set for Noon. There is a $4,288 carryover in the Pick Five pool for Tuesday. The Pick Five begins in race one on the matinee card.
Mike Sardella
Photo: Cheyanne Mandy
