The 2025 Horse of the Year at Saratoga Casino Hotel But Why made his return to the winner’s circle for the first time in ’26 on Monday when he scored a wire-to-wire win in the Open Trot. Jimmy Devaux was the regular driver for But Why last year for trainer Scott Mongeon and has piloted him in all three of his seasonal tries while on the comeback trail. Following a third and second-place finish, respectively, in his two starts back, But Why was the even-money favorite in Monday’s installment of the $16,500 Open for high-steppers. Devaux powered the track’s defending champ out to the lead where he cruised through honest first-half fractions of 28.1 and 57.2. The five-year-old gelding held firm through three quarters in 1:27 before trotting away from the competition and reporting home a decisive winner in the feature in a mile clocked in 1:56.4. Longshot Dewey Arnold (Jacob Cutting) closed to be second at odds of 16-1 while there was a dead-heat for show between In A Tiny Way (Aaron Byron) and Malibu Kid (Leon Bailey). A fourteen-time winner in ’25, But Why is owned by Steve and Laura Stewart of Petersburgh, NY.
Live racing continues on Tuesday with a first post time of 12pm.
Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY
Jessica Hallett photo
