A pair of claimers led veteran conditioner Jim Martuscello to a training double on Saturday evening at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Martuscello runs a small stable at the Spa and added two new members to his barn a few weeks ago when owner Pasquale Baia, of Amsterdam NY, claimed pacers Better Moonon Over and Gibus. Better Moonon Over made a break in his first start off the claim but the six year old has since rebounded in style. Following a second-place finish, Better Moonon Over was a decisive in his next start leading up to Saturday’s try in the $5,000 claiming ranks. Jimmy Devaux powered Better Moonon Over out to the early lead and from there, it was over. The claiming pacer cruised away to win by better than six lengths in 1:55.1 to complete his back-to-back jacks.

Gibus was claimed for $12,500 by Baia and Martuscello last month and finished second in his first start for new connections in late February. After a three week layoff, it was back to the track on Saturday for Gibus who moved up into the $15,000 claiming ranks for the first time. Reinsman Brett Beckwith sat patiently with Gibus throughout the first five-eighths of a mile before unleashing him approaching the three-quarter pole. The seven year old put one in the win column for the first time this year when he surged past the front-runner before powering away to prevail by two and a quarter lengths in a mile clocked in 1:55.2 to complete a double for his owner and trainer. Gibus paid $10.000 to win in the mild Saturday upset. Martuscello had started out his ’22 campaign with four wins and four seconds in just ten seasonal starts.

Live racing continues on Sunday afternoon at Saratoga with a first post set for noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser

All Speed Rising (All Speed Hanover) has established herself as a formidable Filly and Mare Open Pacer this season at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Andy Gardner trainee came into Monday’s try in the $15,000 feature with a win and a pair of seconds to her credit in her five seasonal tries in the Open for distaffers. All Speed Rising often utilizes her early speed and did just that in Monday’s feature when driver Jay Randall powered her right out to the lead. After moving quickly through a first quarter in 27.4, the seven year old got a second quarter breather before completing lap one in 58.1. The race’s even money favorite, All Speed Rising held strong throughout and wound up powering away from her rivals to score in 1:55.3 for her second Open win of the young season. Miss Irish Rose A (Larry Stalbaum) was the pocket-sitter and wound up as the feature’s runner-up while Checks On The Way (Phil Fluet) earned the show spot. All Speed Rising, who is owned by George Tackley and Wendy Storrier, gave driver Jay Randall one of his three winners on the card. Paying $4.00 to win, the speedy mare led an exacta and triple that came back $28.60 and $132, respectively. The victory in the feature was one of two on the day to go with a pair of second-place finishes for Gardner who currently sits atop the trainer standings in the young ’22 season.

Live racing resumes on Saturday evening at Saratoga with first post time set for 5pm.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser

Dewey Arnold (Deweycheatumnhowe) scored his second consecutive victory in the Open Trot at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Sunday when the Dave Dewhurst trainee gutted out a first-over journey to secure the win. After a bit of a slow start to his 2022 campaign, Dewey Arnold has now toughed out back-to-back difficult journeys en route to his consecutive victories in the $15,000 Open Trot. Jimmy Devaux piloted the four year old former New York Sire Stakes star who toughed out Sunday’s win in 1:56.1 despite drawing the outside post in the feature. Gigfy (Alek Chartrand) held on to finish second while Gettin Messi (Shawn Gray) came on to earn the show spot. Dewey Arnold, who is owned by Philip Hale and Dave Dewhurst, paid $6.00 to win as the race’s second choice in the wagering and led an exacta and triple that came back $38.60 and $177, respectively.

Live racing resumes on Monday afternoon at Saratoga beginning at noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser

Dewey Arnold (Deweycheatumnhowe) was a winning machine in 2021. Competing primarily in the New York Sire Stakes all spring and summer, the Dave Dewhurst trainee rattled off victory after victory before becoming an Open trotter late in the season. When racing in the local trotting feature at Saratoga Casino Hotel, Dewey Arnold enjoyed a strong stretch in the fall before being shut down in mid-October. All told, in his sophomore season Dewey Arnold piled up over a quarter million dollars in earnings by way of twelve wins.

The ’22 campaign didn’t get off to as good of a start for Dewey though and he didn’t have much to show for his first three starts back. On Sunday afternoon, the four year old drew post three for his try in the $15,000 Open Trot. The track’s defending leading driver Jimmy Devaux asked Dewey Arnold for some early speed and things looked grim after the start as the talented trotter wound up being parked out.

Bridge Works (Luke Hanners) was on the front-end and felt mild pressure from Dewey Arnold who took a ride on the rim in a first half that was clocked in 57.3. Squee Hanover (Billy Dobson) pulled behind the parked out rival before tipping three wide around the final turn. Bridge Works began to tire though and Dewey Arnold just kept plugging away before taking the lead turning for home. Squee Hanover charged at him late in the game but the chase proved to be futile. Dewey Arnold registered his first victory of the season and did so in 1:56.2 to match the fastest trotting mile of the young season at the Spa. Squee Hanover finished second while Bridge Works held on for third. In his first score of the year, Dewey Arnold paid $4.30 to win as the favorite and led an exacta and triple that came back $22.60 and $62.50, respectively. Dewey Arnold is co-owned by his trainer Dave Dewhurst and Philip Hale of New Hartford, NY.

Live racing continues on Monday afternoon at Saratoga with a Noon start to the matinee.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser

Skyway Victor (Tellitlikeitis) has been impressive for his new connections in the early stages of the 2022 campaign at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Acquired this offseason by owners Mark Eaton and Robert Griffin, Skyway Victor won his Spa debut when he went coast-to-coast in 1:55 to prevail in a $13,000 Winners Over for pacers on February 19^th. After not factoring while starting from post eight in his first try in the Open, Skyway Victor drew post six for Saturday’s start in the $15,000 Open Pace. Driver Jay Randall found early speed from the four year old pacer who got to the first quarter in 28 seconds before reaching the half in 57 seconds flat. The race’s favorite Belmont Major N (Shawn Gray) was making his local debut and he stormed up to challenge the leader approaching the three quarter pole but Skyway Victor would not be denied. The Eaton trainee dug in and finished in a 27.3 final quarter en route to victory in 1:53, the fastest mile of the season for any horse at the Spa thus far. Belmont Major N was the runner-up in his first local try while Crockets Cullen N (Larry Stalbaum) earned the show spot. The winner paid $6.90 to win and led an exacta and triple that came back $14 and $49.20, respectively.

Live racing continues on Sunday afternoon at Saratoga with a matinee that kicks off at Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser

Powerscourt (Credit Winner) won his first ever Open Trot on Sunday afternoon at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The six year old was a New York Sire Stakes star early on in his career and in recent seasons has taken to facing top-level trotters at the Spa. Just two weeks removed from a mild upset victory in a $13,000 Winners Over trot, Powerscourt drew post two for Sunday’s try in the $15,000 trotting feature.

Mickey McGivern pilots Powerscourt for trainer Cheryl McGivern and sat fourth throughout the first 5/8 of a mile on Sunday before taking his shot at local trotting stalwart Squee Hanover approaching three-quarters. Powerscourt, who was dismissed at odds of 28-1, charged past the leader before holding off a late bid from fellow longshot Hot Wheelz (Luke Hanners) in the stretch to score in 1:57.4. Xcuseme (John Stark Jr), who finished second in last Sunday’s Open, earned the show spot to continue his strong start to the 2022 campaign.

Powerscourt paid $59.50 to win in the big Open upset and led a hefty exacta and triple that came back $592 and $2,346, respectively. The winner is owned by Charles Foster, William Carroll and Mike Sentiwany, all of New York. A McGivern double was completed when young trotter Titan On The Rail ( E L Titan) went back-to-back on Sunday. The four year old matched his win time from last week when he stopped the timer in 2:02.1 with Mickey McGivern in the sulky. Titan On The Rail’s upset came at odds of 7-1.

Live racing continues on Monday afternoon with a matinee starting at Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

Keystone Dakota, and mother and son team Melissa and Brett Beckwith won Saturdays open pace in 1:55.1

-Melissa Simser

Monday afternoon was a big one for Brett Beckwith at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The young reinsman took home the Johnny Page Award for the track’s top up-and-coming driver in 2021 and the son of driver Mark Beckwith has established himself as one of the top catch-drivers as the Spa in ’22. Brett scored his first local grand slam on Monday’s matinee highlighted by guiding a trio of Melissa Beckwith trainees to victories. Precious Alexis scored decisively on the engine in a $7,000 conditional race for fillies and mares to make good at odds of 1-2. A beaten favorite when trying to come from last in her seasonal debut last week, Precious Alexis wasted no time grabbing the early lead on Monday and despite moving through a first half of 57.2 powered away to win by five and a half lengths in a mile clocked in 1:55. Yummy Candy also made good at odds-on when she went coast-to-coast for Beckwith in a $9,000 race for young fillies and mares while Mckella led it every step of the way before stopping the timer in 1:55.4. Brett’s grand slam was completed when the Jaymes McAssey-trained Aintnohollabackgrl aired by seven lengths in 1:56.2. Beckwith has begun his season in the top five in the local driver standings after enjoying his biggest ever days at the Spa on Monday.

Live racing resumes on Saturday evening at Saratoga with a 5pm first post.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser

A fixture in the Open over the course of the last couple of seasons, Gigfy (Broadway Hall) has been the star among trotters in the opening month of the meet at Saratoga Casino Hotel. On Sunday afternoon, the Brian Mattison trainee made it look easy prevailing in the feature. Gigfy was the betting public’s 4-5 favorite in the $15,000 Open Trot and wasted no time taking the lead. Driver Alek Chartrand powered the speedy trotter to an early and easy lead and from there, it was over. The eight year old cruised unopposed through a first half in 59 seconds and never faced an anxious moment before stopping the timer in 1:56.2. The win was his second in three starts in the Open this year with a second-place finish sandwiched in between the victories. Longshot Xcuseme (John Stark Jr) sat the pocket to the winner and wound up as the runner-up while Powerscourt (Mickey McGivern) rounded out the triple. The exacta and triple with the favorite on top paid $36.80 and $341, respectively. Gigfy is owned by Gerald D’Alessandro of Ocala, FL and Bridgette Mattison of Watervliet, NY. With the two Open wins in opening month, Gigfy has already surpassed his total from 2021 when he recorded just one victory in the feature for trotters.

Live racing continues on Monday afternoon at Saratoga with a President’s Day matinee set to kick off at Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser

As has been the case dozens upon dozens of times over the course of the last five years, Artful Way (Artistic Fella) won the Open Pace on Saturday night at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The three-time Pacer of the Year at the Spa, Artful Way made his first start in the Open in 2022 on Saturday while coming off a win in the $13,000 Winners Over. The Jackie Greene-trained superstar was the 2-1 second-choice in the betting when driver Billy Dobson blasted him out to the front end in the $15,000 feature. The ten year old carved out first half fractions of 27.1 and 57.2 on a cold and snowy evening in Saratoga Springs before being met with the challenge of the race’s odds-on favorite Lake Charles (Leon Bailey). The veteran leader dispatched the first-over bid by the public’s top choice with relative ease and just needed to hold off fellow past Pacer of the Year Crockets Cullen N (Larry Stalbaum) in the stretch, a task that he was more than prepared for. Artful Way stopped the timer in 1:55 for his second victory in three seasonal tries. Paying $6.00 to win, Artful Way led an exacta with Crockets Cullen N that paid $36 in a five-horse feature while the triple came back $67.50 with the favored Lake Charles earning the show spot. Artful Way is owned by the Kellogg Racing Stables of Queensbury, NY.

Live racing continues on Sunday afternoon at Saratoga with a matinee beginning at Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser