Alek Chartrand had a training double on Tuesday afternoon at Saratoga Casino Hotel. A top ten driver this season at the Spa, Chartrand is healing up from a minor injury and thus has handed over driving duties to others this week. In Tuesday’s feature, Chartrand trainee Onspeed N (Bettor’s Delight) was in the hands of Wally Hennessey when she drew the rail in the $10,000 feature for fillies and mares. Onspeed N is just two weeks removed from recording a victory in a career-best 1:53.4 with Chartrand in the sulky. Following a hard-charging third when coming from off the pace last week, Onspeed N cut the mile on Tuesday after reclaiming the lead from rival All Speed Rising (Billy Dobson) approaching the quarter pole. The seven year old New Zealand invader didn’t face much of a challenge before pacing away from her rivals to win in 1:54 with Hennessey at the controls. All Speed Rising sat the pocket and finished second to the 3-5 betting favorite in the feature for distaffers while Pammy Jo (Mark Beckwith) closed sharply to be third. The win was one of two on the day for Chartrand trainees who are owned by Michael Moore of Old Westbury, NY and one of four for Wally Hennessey who hit a grand slam on the matinee card. Chartrand and Moore’s  other victory on Tuesday came with Special Olivia (Roll With Joe) as that three year old filly put in a big effort to score in a career-best 1:55.2 with leading driver Jimmy Devaux in the sulky. Devaux, like Hennessey, piloted four winners on the card. Chartrand, who is expected to return to driving soon, now sits in the top ten in both the driver and the trainer standings for the 2021 campaign.

Live racing resumes on Saturday evening at Saratoga with a 6:45pm first post.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

Cash Me Out (Cash Hall) did what he pretty much always does when on Monday afternoon the veteran trotter won another Open. The ten year old Kyle Spagnola trainee cruised to the front end in the $20,000 Open Trot and, though he worked hard to get to the top in 27.1, enjoyed a nice breather in the middle half. With the likely favorite Reign Of Honor being scratched from the race, Cash Me Out wound up as the 2-5 betting favorite on Monday and when his major danger Exarch (Jimmy Devaux) made a break after the start, it looked like it would be smooth sailing for the millionaire high-stepper. Cash Me Out coasted through a first half in 57.3 before reaching three quarters in 1:26.3 and didn’t face much of a challenge at any point in the mile. Exarch rallied extremely well in the final half and closed to be second to the favorite while longshot Bucketlist Hanover (Larry Stalbaum) earned the show spot. Cash Me Out, who stopped the timer in 1:56.1, won for the eighth time of the season and the sixth in the local feature for trotters. Cash Me Out led an exacta and triple that paid $6.90 and $46, respectively. The star trotter won for the 65^th time in his illustrious career for owner Mike Traylor of Ballston Spa, NY.

Live racing continues on Tuesday afternoon with first post time set for noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

Trainer Ron Burke had three of the seven participants in this year’s installment of the Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial Pace at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The top-flight conditioner brought his superstar This Is The Plan (Somebeachsomewhere) to town to lead the trio of pacers in the $150,000 race. Yannick Gingras piloted This Is The Plan who brought his close to $2.3 Million in career earnings to the Spa and wound up as the 7-5 betting favorite in the 12^th annual Gerrity. Gingras moved the standout to the lead in a 26.2 first quarter before giving way to fellow Burke trainee Backstreet Shadow (Tim Tetrick). That one retook command after the sizzling first quarter and cruised through the first half in 55.2. It appeared that after three quarters went in 1:22.3 that it would come down to those two stalwarts but just then is when yet another Burke trainee tossed his hat into the ring. Rockapelo (Matt Kakaley) was the longest shot on the board in the Gerrity and he shook free around the final turn before surging in the stretch. When This Is The Plan powered past Backstreet Shadow turning for home, it appeared that he had the race wrapped up until Rockapelo exploded in the lane and those two photoed for the win. This Is The Plan prevailed by a nose and stopped the timer in 1:50.2, the fastest clocking of the season thus far at Saratoga and in doing so, won for the fifth time in the 2021 campaign. Burke trainees comprised the entire trifecta as they ran one-two-three in the season’s biggest events for pacers. The exacta with Rockapelo second paid $116 while the triple with 8-5 second choice Backstreet Shadow third returned $337.50. This Is The Plan, who now has seasonal earnings of over $600,000, is owned by Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, J&T Silva- Purnell & Libby and Lawrence Karr. The 12^th winner of the Gerrity was the runner-up in the 2019 installment of the memorial race when he finished second to stalwart Mcwicked at Saratoga two summers ago. Incredibly, Gingras and Burke are the twelfth different driver and trainer to win the Gerrity since its inception in 2009.

Live racing resumes on Monday afternoon at Saratoga with a thirteen race matinee that kicks off at Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

The richest race of the season at Saratoga Casino Hotel yielded a track record performance on Tuesday afternoon. There was one division of the New York Sire Stakes for three year old colt and gelding trotters and the $156,600 race saw the favorite not only thrive but make history. Ahundreddollarbill (Chapter Seven-Swinging Royalty- RC Royalty) drew post seven in the eight-horse stakes event but driver Andrew Mccarthy wasted very little time moving the 1-5 betting favorite out to the front end. The speedy sophomore powered through a first quarter in 27.1 before reaching the half in 56.1. The Tony Alagna trainee made it look easy as he cruised to a well-measured length and a half victory to record his sixth win in seven starts in 2021. Dewey Arnold (Jason Bartlett) sat the pocket to the winner and finished a strong second to continue his breakout campaign while Balenciaga (Wally Hennessey) earned the show spot. Ahundreddollarbill now has seasonal earnings of over $310,000 for owners Crawford Farms Racing of Syracuse, NY and James Crawford IV of Erieville, NY. The final time of 1:54 serves as a new track record for a three year old gelding trotter as it lowers the previous mark set by Dayson and Yannick Gingras in August of 2016. It is the third different performance this season in which he has set a track record as he lowered the mark at Vernon Downs and at Yonkers Raceway previous to Tuesday’s record-setting performance at the Spa.

Live racing resumes on Saturday evening at Saratoga when the 12^th annual Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial Pace highlights a fifteen-race program. The Gerrity attracts some of the top pacers in North America and will be contested for a purse of $150,000. First post time is set for 6:45pm.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

Trainer Tiffanee Staley and driver Denis St. Pierre have enjoyed a ton of success this season at Saratoga Casino Hotel after relocating here from Canada. St. Pierre is a Spa veteran but this most recent local stint for him is the first with Staley running the stable. The tandem had two horses in on Monday afternoon as razor sharp trotters Reign Of Honor and Tesla Seelster both looked to continue their hot streaks at Saratoga. Reign Of Honor (Father Patrick) prevailed in his first start in the local Open Trot in early June and after a brief stint out of town returned to the Spa to take part in the $14,000 Open on Monday.

St. Pierre forwardly placed the 3-5 betting favorite a bit and got away fourth in the six-horse feature. Reign Of Honor powered up first-over on major danger Exarch (Jimmy Devaux) who has been on a tear of his own as he’s made himself into one of the top trotters at the track over the past couple of months. Reign Of Honor just kept plugging away before wearing Exarch down to score in 1:55.3 and stay undefeated in the local feature. Exarch was a strong second once again while Bridge Works (Billy Dobson) earned the show spot. Reign Of Honor led a chalky exacta that paid $5.10 and a triple that returned $15.80.

St. Pierre and Staley teamed up to go two-for-two on Monday when Tesla Seelster (Muscle Mass) extended her win streak to four. The four year old trotter brushed to the lead past the quarter in her $9,500 race for trotters and expanded her advantage with seemingly every stride before recording the victory in 1:57.2. The win for Tesla Seelster was her sixth in eight starts since coming to town from Canada for Staley and St. Pierre.

Live racing continues on Tuesday afternoon at Saratoga when a $156,600 New York Sire Stakes race for three year old trotting colts and geldings takes center stage. First post time is Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

We had racing under the lights at Saratoga Casino Hotel for the first time in nearly a year and a half on Saturday night and the light aspect almost didn’t happen. Some power outages in the area resulted in the track lights not functioning early in the card but the problem was rectified midway through the eleven race program. The feature for the night was the $14,000 Open Pace which consisted of six top-flight competitors and went the way of a horse who was competing at the Spa for the first time this season. The Patti Harmon-trained Kerford Road A (Somebeachsomewhere) was the public’s 6-5 betting favorite after coming in off a strong stint at both Tioga Downs and Yonkers Raceway. Shawn Gray moved Kerford Road A out to the lead in the early going and the seven year old enjoyed soft fractions of 28 and 57 seconds in lap one. After cruising through the leisurely first-half fractions, the race seemed like it was over. And it was. Kerford Road A went coast-to-coast in 1:52.3 highlighted by a final half in 55.3 en route to his first victory in the local Open Pace. Wyatt J (Billy Dobson) sat the pocket to the winner and wound up finishing second while American Zest A (Larry Stalbaum) earned the show spot. For Kerford Road A, it was the fifth win of the season in a year in which he has hit the board in thirteen of his twenty starts. The Open Pace winner is owned by John Campagnuolo, the Harmon Racing Stable and Winners Circle Racing.

Live racing resumes on Monday afternoon at Saratoga with a matinee beginning at Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Cheyanne Mandy

Two divisions of the New York Sire Stakes for three year old colt and gelding pacers were featured on the fifteen race matinee at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Wednesday. Town Gossip (American Ideal-Flibbertigibbet-Albert Albert) came roaring out of the pocket to prevail in his $77,300 division of the NYSS for sophomore pacers. Joe Bongiorno piloted the Jenn Bongiorno trainee who sat the two-hole behind Southwind Petyr (Jason Bartlett) who came in on a two-race win streak. The race’s favorite I’ll Drink To That (Matt Kakaley) came first-over on Southwind Petyr who cruised through a first half in 56.2. I’ll Drink To That was turned back by Southwind Petyr in a third quarter that went in an eye-popping 26.4 and once Town Gossip found open road in the stretch, the race was over. The three year old gelding stopped the timer in a career-best 1:51.1 to record the biggest win of his season for owner Robert Weinstein of Bellmore, NY. Town Gossip was the runner-up in the Stakes Final last season as a two year old and is off to a strong start to his ’21 campaign after recording his third victory in his eighth seasonal try on Wednesday. Town Gossip paid $8.40 to win and led an exacta and triple with Southwind Petyr second and I’ll Drink To That third, respectively, that returned $20.80 and $33.40.

The $78,700 division of the Sire Stakes for colts and geldings went the way of last year’s two year old champion King James Express (Art Major-More Diamonds- Dragon Again). The Mark Harder-trained sophomore didn’t get off to the fastest of starts in his 2021 season but on Wednesday found the form that led him to over $200,000 in earnings and a stakes title last year. Reinsman Jason Bartlett sat patiently with the race’s 3-5 betting favorite who came from off the pace to record his first win of the season. The sophomore pacer powered past longtime leader Major Bean (Matt Kakaley) who came up just shy of the upset on Wednesday in a mile clocked in 1:53.3. King James Express is owned by Harder, Frost, Carleton and Lockhart. Major Bean finished second while Natameri (Wally Hennessey) earned the show spot. The exacta and triple paid $21.60 and $84.50, respectively.

Live racing resumes on Saturday evening when night racing returns to the Spa with a first post time set for 6:45pm.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

Exarch (Cantab Hall) has become a force in the Open Trot at Saratoga Casino Hotel in recent months and on Tuesday afternoon, the six year old won the $14,000 feature for the third time. Jimmy Devaux pilots the John Gerow-trained trotter who went coast-to-coast in 1:56.2. After working hard to get to the top in a 27.3 first quarter, Exarch got a big-time breather in the middle half and reached three-quarters in 1:27.2. Pocket-sitter Gigfy (Alek Chartrand) rode the coattails of the winner before coming up second best while Cash Me Out (Phil Fluet), who won the previous two weeks’ Opens, finished third. Exarch, who is owned by Fortune Valley Stables of Ballston Spa, NY, now has six wins this season and has hit the board fourteen of eighteen starts in 2021. The winner was the even-money favorite in the feature and led an exacta and triple that paid $17.40 and $38.60, respectively. Devaux piloted a pair of winners on Tuesday to add to his track-leading tally for the ’21 campaign.

Live racing continues on Wednesday afternoon at Saratoga with a fifteen race matinee that starts at Noon. New York Sire Stakes action will be featured as three year old colt and gelding pacers will take center stage.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Cheyanne Mandy

Simple Kinda Man (Sportswriter) has been a monster since coming to Saratoga Casino Hotel last month and on Monday, the Brett Derue trainee scored in his first attempt in the Open Pace. Simple Kinda Man won his local debut in June when he circled the field behind a three-wide move to prevail in 1:53.4. After finishing second the following week, the six year old pacer moved up into the $12,850 Winners Over for pacers last Monday (July 5^th) and dazzled when he went wire-to-wire in 1:50.4, a clocking that at the time was the fastest of the meet at Saratoga. On Monday afternoon, Simple Kinda Man took yet another jump up in company and drew post seven in the seven-horse Open Pace which went for a purse of $14,000. Driver Jimmy Devaux was forced to take back early with Simple Kinda Man who sat last as first half fractions of 26.1 and 54 seconds popped up on the timer. With the favorite Crockets Cullen N (Larry Stalbaum) softened by those fractions on the front end, the backfield was set in motion in the race’s final lap and invader Chatelroll (Wally Hennessey) rolled past the leader to take over. Simple Kinda Man, who was still in sixth at the three quarter pole, came motoring home and flew past his rivals to record his first Open Pace victory stopping the timer in 1:51.3. He paid $19.80 to win and led an exacta with Chatelroll second that came back $85.50. The triple with longshot Quagmire Bluechip (Brett Beckwith) third returned a hefty $1,107. The winner, who overcame nearly a twelve-length deficit at the quarter pole, is owned by Steve Picarazzi, Scott Petillo and trainer Brett Derue all of New York who also had a Monday score with their Nothing To Prove who scored a hat trick with reinsman Wally Hennessey at the controls. It was back-to-back wins in the Open Pace for Devaux on Monday who piloted Sports Obsession to victory in last week’s feature for pacers.

Live racing continues on Tuesday afternoon at Saratoga with a first post time set for Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

Driver Phil Fluet wrapped up a strong week at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Wednesday when the veteran reinsman piloted three winners. The 42 year old Fluet scored a hat trick on Monday afternoon before sitting behind a winner on Tuesday’s matinee. On Wednesday, Fluet made three more trips to the winner’s circle on a day highlighted by a victory in the $11,000 featured race for trotters in which he went coast-to-coast with Mystical Somolli for trainer Meg Reynolds and owner Joe Stanislowsky of Queensbury, NY. Mystical Somolli proved strong on the lead before stopping the timer in a seasonal-best 1:56. The favorite Gettin Messi (Billy Dobson) finished second while The Royal Poze (Jimmy Devaux) earned the show spot. Mystical Somolli paid $8.90 to win in the mild upset.

Fluet’s first win of the day came behind Notmeitsyou (Chapter Seven), a trotter that Phil trains and co-owns. Notmeitsyou was dismissed at odds of 22-1 when he got a pocket ride behind veteran Justice Jet (Jimmy Devaux) in a $6,650 event for trotters. Notmeitsyou surged in the stretch before coming on to win in a lifetime-best 1:56.2 for Fluet who completed his Wednesday hat trick by guiding young pacing filly Hiphopmomma to her second consecutive victory. Hiphopmomma, who now has three wins in her last four starts for owner/trainer Tony Ciuffetelli of Gansevoort, NY, wrapped up the big week at the Spa for Phil Fluet.

Live racing resumes on Monday afternoon with a matinee beginning at Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino