Cory Stratton recorded a training and driving triple on the Tuesday card at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Stratton brought a handful of pacing mares to town for fillies and mares’ day at the Spa and scored a hat trick led by his Cruise Alert who prevailed in the matinee’s featured race. Cruise Alert (Yankee Cruiser) spent the last month competing in the Fillies and Mares Open at Saratoga with one third-place finish to show for it. After dropping into Tuesday’s $14,500 feature for distaffers, the five-year-old drew the rail and wound up as her race’s 2-5 betting favorite with Stratton at the controls. Cruising unopposed through a first half that went in an honest 56.2, Cruise Alert faced a late bid from pocket-sitting Island Bouhinia A (Jacob Cutting) before hanging on to win by a half-length. The 1:53 clocking set a new seasonal mark for Cruise Alert. Island Bouhinia A was the runner-up while Lyons Miki (Aaron Byron) earned the show spot. Cruise Alert was one of three winners for Stratton whose Spirit Of Pearl A and Chanceoflightning continued their strong seasons with Tuesday scores.
Live racing resumes on Sunday with a matinee that begins at 12pm.
