Riverofroyalty (Rc Royalty) won the award for Three Year Old Trotter of the Year at Saratoga Casino Hotel in 2016. On Friday night, the Dave Spagnola-trained highstepper made her seasonal debut in the evening’s $7,500 co-feature for New York sired trotters. The four year old mare sat back patiently throughout as her main rivals battled it out. Driver Frank Coppola Jr. activated Riverofroyalty around the three quarter pole and she picked off horses one by one before winning a photo with Intensify (Phil Fluet), stopping the timer in 2:02.3. Riverofroyalty paid $9.10 in her first win of the year as she bested Intensify and third place finisher Cuda Hall (Pat Curtin). Coppola won the other half of the co-features as well with Jackie Greene’s Buff (Credit Winner) who recorded his first local victory on Friday, prevailing in 2:01 on another cold March night in the Spa City.
Live racing continues on Saturday night at Saratoga with a first post time of 6:45pm.
Mike Sardella
Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino
