Talking Tom (Artspeak) went back-to-back in the Open Pace when he pulled off a bit of a Sunday surprise at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Perry Simser-trained pacer won the Open for the first time in 2025 last week (June 22) when he came from well off the pace to pull off a mild upset at odds of 5-1. Leon Bailey guided Talking Tom to that Open score and was back in the sulky on Sunday when the eight year old left to sit the pocket to the favored Natameri (Wally Hennessey). The heavily-backed Natameri carved out sizzling first-half fractions of 26.2 and 56 seconds while being tracked in the two-hole by Talking Tom. Little Willy (Brett Beckwith) chipped away first-over at the lead of Natameri who checked in at three-quarters in 1:24.1. The race was up for grabs turning for home when all five Open participants were within three lengths of the lead. Talking Tom found late racing room in the passing lane and surged up in time to score in 1:53, a time that matched his lifetime mark. Talking Tom, who is owned in partnership by his trainer Perry Simser and Dennis Nye, was the longest shot on the board in the $16,000 feature and paid $21.80 to win in the Open upset. The victory was the third on the season in nine tries for Talking Tom. Natameri was the runner-up while Little Willy hit the board for the fifth consecutive start earning the show spot in the feature.