In what has been a breakout season for her at Saratoga Casino Hotel, trainer Erica Chartrand secured a training double on Friday evening.  Chartrand’s (Conway Hall) had consistently finished first or second in the winners of two but not more than five class for trotters this spring before traveling out of town for a stint in the New York Sire Stakes. Debs Prince Hall was back to the Spa on Friday to compete in one of the $11,000 co-features for trotters and driver Alek Chartrand powered the talented three year old up first-over.

The gutsy sophomore fought gamely on the outside before wearing down the race’s leader and powering away to prevail by better than two lengths in 1:58.2. Debs Prince Hall, who is owned by Richard Vale of Cambridge, NY, has now finished first or second in five consecutive local starts. Team Chartrand teamed up for another win on Friday when their Valor (Always B Miki) broke his maiden while following the same path as stablemate Debs Prince Hall by taking the first-over journey to the winner’s circle. Valor’s first career score came in 1:55.4 to complete the double for Erica and Alek Chartrand. The three year old Valor is owned by Mike Moore of Old Westbury, NY.

Live racing continues on Saturday evening at Saratoga with first post time set for 5PM

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser

Driver Billy Dobson has been battling with defending champion Jimmy Devaux at the top of the driver standings in the first few months of the 2022 campaign at Saratoga Casino Hotel with Stop Staring (So Surreal). Coming into Friday night second among local drivers in ‘22, the 38 year old reinsman swept both halves of the co-features.

With no Open on the card, two divisions of $10,500 pacing events for colts and geldings served as co-features and Dobson went coast-to-coast in both races. Stop Staring set a lifetime mark earlier in the season when he cruised to a 1:52.4 victory on the engine and while Friday’s victory wasn’t quite as fast as his previous score, the 1:53.2 final time certainly stood out as impressive.

The Amanda Kelley-trained Stop Staring had little difficulty prevailing on Friday and did so as his race’s 1-2 top choice in the wagering. Major Makover also went the distance with Dobson in tow as the Gary Levine trainee prevailed for the fourth time in his last five starts, scoring in a seasonal best 1:54.2 on Friday to complete the driving double for Dobson.

Live racing continues on Saturday evening with a first post time of 5PM.

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

Mike Sardella
Photo: Melissa Simser

Askmenoquestions, trained and driven by Phil Fluet won the $11,250 finale at Saratoga tonight in 1:58.4