Platinum As broke a tie with three other top trotters at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Monday when the Melissa Beckwith trainee won the Open for the fifth time in 2026. A pair of Platinum As’s Monday rivals Send It In Hanover and defending Horse of the Year But Why each own four Open victories in ’26 along with Wolfpack Zach, the winningest horse of the meet at the Spa this year. Platinum As was aggressively piloted on Monday by Chris Long who made a quarter-move with the race’s 5-2 second-choice in the wagering. The Beckwith-trained trotter cruised unopposed in a first half that went in 57.2 before being met with the challenge of Makeorbreakzaz S (Larry Stalbaum) who was making his debut in the $18,000 Open Trot. Platinum As rattled off three quarters in 1:26 while feeling just mild pressure from the favorite before drawing away to win by three and three-quarters lengths in a mile clocked in 1:55.1. Platinum As went over the $600,000 mark in career earnings in his previous local start and added to that bulky bankroll with his fifth Open Trot score of the season at the Spa. It was the second consecutive day with an Open win for the Beckwith stable whose Whilemena Rita A prevailed in the Fillies and Mares Open on Sunday afternoon. Makeorbreakzaz S finished second in the Monday feature while But Why (Jimmy Devaux) earned the show spot. Platinum As is owned by Brett Beckwith, Yannick Gingras and Fac Racing LLC.
Live racing resumes on Saturday at Saratoga with a matinee that begins at 12pm.
Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY
Jessica Hallett photo
