Wednesday’s matinee featured two divisions of the second leg of the Virginia O’Brien Memorial Pacing Series at Saratoga Casino Hotel on a day where the favorites thrived. Rckaroundtheclock N (A Rocknroll Dance) became the only pacing mare to become a two-leg winner as she coasted to a career-best victory for Greg Merton on Wednesday. Rckaroundtheclock N has never lost a race at Saratoga and she moved her local win streak to five-for-five after a career-best 1:53 wire-to-wire victory in leg two of the series. Rckaroundtheclock N has led at every pole in every race in her brief time at the Spa and on Wednesday, the rising star cruised through a first half in 56 seconds before registering a measured one length score with Merton at the controls. Rckaroundtheclock N bested fellow leg one winner American Chance (Jimmy Devaux) who finished second to the 1-9 betting favorite in the series’ second leg to complete a chalky $3.00 exacta. Rckaroundtheclock N is the series’ clear one to beat heading into next Wednesday’s Final, which will go for a purse of upwards of $30,000. The five year old mare is owned by the Scheigert Racing Stable of Saratoga Springs, NY and trained by Amanda Kelley.

The runner-up to Rckaroundtheclock N in leg one wound up as the 1-9 public choice in her division of leg two as Clemmie Hanover (Roll With Joe) rode a hot streak into Wednesday try in the $10,000 second leg of the O’Brien Memorial. Trainer Dave Byer, who co-owns Clemmie Hanover with Jerry Hoffman, saw his stable star thrive once again on Wednesday. The four year old distaffer marched out to an easy lead with Brian Cross piloting before clicking off a first half in 58.2. Never facing an anxious moment, Clemmie Hanover paced away from her rivals in the second half of the mile before reporting home in a seasonal-best 1:55.4. With her most recent victory, Clemmie Hanover now has three wins and two seconds in her last five starts and has secured her spot in next week’s Final. Like A Peach (Billy Dobson) sat the pocket and held on to be second to Clemmie Hanover in leg two while Special Olivia (Alek Chartrand) came on to be third.

Live racing resumes on Monday afternoon at Saratoga with first post time set for Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

Keystone Dakota (Art Major) is in the midst of his breakout year and the Melissa Beckwith trainee continued his strong spring on Tuesday afternoon at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The five year old was purchased back in March and moved to the Beckwith stable where he has completely thrived. Just a few weeks removed from a lifetime best win in 1:51.4 at Yonkers Raceway, Keystone Dakota returned to Saratoga where he took part in Tuesday’s $10,250 feature for pacers. Mark Beckwith piloted the rising star and moved him out to the early lead. The 8-5 morning-line favorite went off at odds of 5-2 and wound up making every pole a winning one before stopping the timer in 1:54 in a mile highlighted by a 27.3 final quarter. The victory was Keystone Dakota’s fifth in eight starts since moving to the Beckwith barn. Mr Big Wig (Billy Dobson) made his local debut and sat the pocket to Keystone Dakota before finishing as the runner-up on Tuesday while Sassy Hanover (Shawn Gray) earned the show spot. Keystone Dakota, who is owned by Howard Jacobs of West Orange, NJ, paid $7.20 to win and led an exacta and triple that came back $19.40 and $65.50, respectively.

Live racing continues on Wednesday afternoon with a first post set for Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

Reign Of Honor (Father Patrick) made his Open Trot debut on Monday afternoon at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Tiffanee Staley trainee was beaten as a 1-5 betting favorite two weeks ago when he came up second-best while racing at the Spa for the first time. Last week (May 31), the five year old avenged that defeat with a decisive score in an $11,250 race for conditional trotters. This week it was up into the $14,000 Open for Reign Of Honor who was backed by the betting public to the tune of even money with Denis St. Pierre in the sulky. The favorite left a bit at the start but still had to come from off the pace in the Monday feature. With upset minded Exarch (Jimmy Devaux) on the engine setting fast fractions, Reign Of Honor followed second-over cover and tipped off that cover following three-quarters that went in 1:24.4 on a hot afternoon in upstate NY. Exarch held strong but didn’t have the power to turn away Reign Of Honor in the stretch as the favorite surged by before stopping the timer in 1:55, the fastest clocking of the season for a trotter at the Spa. Reign Of Honor now owns three wins in nine seasonal starts and has amassed over $470,000 in just 48 lifetime starts. Exarch was a strong second on Monday while dismissed at odds of 9-1 while Winning Legends (Justin Huckabone) earned the show spot. The exacta and triple in the Open paid $27.20 and $101.50, respectively. Reign Of Honor is owned by Randy Zane of Laval, QC, Canada.

Live racing continues on Tuesday afternoon at Saratoga with first post time set for Noon. There is a $4,288 carryover in the Pick Five pool for Tuesday. The Pick Five begins in race one on the matinee card.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Cheyanne Mandy

Wednesday marked the start of the New York Sire Stakes season at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Three year old pacing fillies were featured on what was a 15-race matinee card. The back-half of the program contained the stakes fillies highlighted by three divisions that each went for a purse of $50,400. Test Of Faith (Art Major-Cannae Cammie- Cam’s Card Shark) was last year’s Sire Stakes champion for two year old fillies and made her 2021 debut on Wednesday afternoon. Dave Miller was in town to pilot the Brett Pelling trainee who was one of the top fillies in North America last season. Test Of Faith resumed her winning ways as Miller wasted little time putting the 1-9 favorite on the front-end and the superstar filly took it from there. Test Of Faith scored a decisive win on Wednesday to kick-off her sophomore campaign in the same fashion as her freshman season wrapped up. The victory for Test Of Faith that came in 1:52.1 was just a fifth of a second off the all-time track record for three year old pacing fillies at Saratoga and she appeared to do it with ease. Test Of Faith, who earned exactly a half million dollars last season winning eight times in nine starts, is poised for another sensational season and if Wednesday’s ’21 was any indication, she will be awfully tough to beat for her rivals in the New York Sire Stakes. Test Of Faith is owned by Melvin Segal, Eddie Gran and the Kentuckiana Racing Stable.

While Test Of Faith is the defending Sire Stakes champion among the returning fillies, Heart Of Mine (Roll With Joe-Acquavella- Western Ideal) was the runner-up in last year’s NYSS Final. Scott Zeron piloted the Linda Toscano-trained filly on Wednesday afternoon and sat the pocket with Heart Of Mine who came on in the final stride to prevail in 1:54.3 in her $50,400 division. The super sophomore is now four-for-four in the win column in the 2021 season after recording the victory in her first Sire Stakes start of the year. Heart Of Mine is owned by Fred Wallace, Bay’s Stable, Radio Racing Stable and Camelot Stable.

The Jessica Okusko-trained Purameri (American Ideal-J K Pure Pearl- Bettor’s Delight) sprung the upset for the day as the sophomore filly parlayed a pocket ride to victory with Hall of Famer Wally Hennessey at the controls. Purameri flew up the inside in the stretch before stopping the timer in 1:56.2 while dismissed at odds of 13-1. Purameri, who is owned by the Purple Haze Stables of Fairport, NY, gave Hennessey one of his five winners on the Wednesday card.

Live racing resumes on Monday afternoon at Saratoga with a first post set for Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

Hudson Phil (Shanghai Phil) was one of the top pacers at Saratoga Casino Hotel over the past couple of seasons. The Jackie Greene trainee was one of the top two winningest horses in the Open Pace in the 2019 and 2020 campaigns. This year, in his six year old season, Hudson Phil has split his time between Saratoga and tracks out of town. On Tuesday, Hudson Phil drew the outside post in the $10,500 feature for pacers one week after he scored an impressive victory in 1:52. Leading driver Billy Dobson sat behind Hudson Phil and took him back early on Tuesday. Getting away last as the race’s 2-1 co-favorite, Hudson Phil reaped the benefits of first half fractions of 26.4 and 56 seconds, the Greene trainee made his move heading to the three-quarter pole as Dobson fanned him to the far outside. The longtime Open star completed his back to back jacks behind a three-wide move which saw him score in 1:53. The victory was his second straight and third on the season. American Zest A (Larry Stalbaum) was the runner-up to Hudson Phil for the second consecutive week while No Ordinary Man (Phil Fluet) closed to finish third. The win for Hudson Phil, who is owned by the Kellogg Racing Stables of Queensbury, NY, was the 30^th of his career in just 101 lifetime starts.

Live racing continues on Wednesday afternoon at Saratoga with three year old pacing fillies taking center stage as part of the New York Sire Stakes. First post is set for Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

It was familiar ground for Cash Me Out (Cash Hall) on Monday afternoon when the veteran trotter made yet another trek back to the winner’s circle at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The ten year old high-stepper recorded his 62^nd career win in Monday’s $15,000 Open Trot as reinsman Phil Fluet put the Kyle Spagnola-trained trotter on the front-end in the Memorial Day feature and the millionaire cruised from there. Cash Me Out had to work hard in the early going before clicking off a first quarter of 27.1. After settling in on the engine, Cash Me Out went to the half in 57 seconds and held firm every step of the way before scoring in 1:56.3. The win was the fifth of the year for Cash Me Out and the third in the local Open Trot this season joining Gruden as the only three-time winners in the local trotting feature in 2021. With the earnings from his win, Cash Me Out moved his career bankroll to over $1.25 million for owner Mike Traylor of Ballston Spa, NY. Gigfy (Alek Chartrand) closed up the inside to finish second on Monday while longshot Navarone Hanover (Chris Long) earned the show spot. One of the race’s two even-money shots, Cash Me Out led an exacta and triple that paid $22.40 and $147, respectively.

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

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

Bontz N (American Ideal) has been the top pacing mare at Saratoga Casino Hotel over the course of the last three seasons. The Gary Levine trainee has been a consistent force in her time at the Spa mostly while competing in the Fillies and Mares Open. The classy ten year old is having another solid campaign in 2021 although she has done most of her damage in sub-Open levels this season. On Wednesday afternoon, Bontz N had Shawn Gray piloting her while competing in a $10,000 conditional race for distaffers. Gray flashed speed with the versatile mare who sat the pocket to longshot Lyons Girlhanover (Larry Stalbaum) who set sizzling fractions on the engine on a hot day in the Spa City. Bontz N popped the pocket heading to the three-quarter pole and though Lyons Girlhanover was tiring a bit, she did fight gamely on despite being bypassed by Bontz N. All the while, the race’s favorite Misty Memory N (Jimmy Devaux) who took back early came from off the pace and proved to be a threat to Bontz N who put away Lyons Girlhanover once and for all around the final turn. Bontz N found another gear in the stretch and proved best stopping the timer in a seasonal best win time of 1:53.4. She paid $8.90 to win. Misty Memory N was the runner-up while Lyons Girlhanover held on to be third. The exacta and triple came back $16 and $76, respectively. Bontz N, who is owned by April Aldrich of Greenfield Center, NY, moved her career bankroll to over the quarter million dollar mark with the earnings from her fourth victory of the season.

Live racing resumes on Monday afternoon at Saratoga with a Memorial Day matinee that is set to kick off at Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Cheyanne Mandy

Unique Beach (Somebeachsomewhere) continued his recent dominance at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Tuesday afternoon. The Melissa Beckwith-trained pacer completed a sweep of the J.P. Morel Memorial Pacing Series as Wally Hennessey guided him to another decisive victory. Unique Beach won for the fifth consecutive week at the Spa and did so at odds of 1-9 as he went coast-to-coast on Tuesday to become the winner of the 8^th annual J.P. Morel Memorial Pace. The four year old had his way on the engine before cruising to a three and a half length romp in a seasonal best clocking of 1:54. Leading trainer Gary Levine had the second and third-place finishers in the Final as his Furious Beach (Shawn Gray), who had a win and a second in the two legs of the Series heading into Tuesday, closed up the rail to finish second in the $32,200 Final. King Street (Billy Dobson), a leg two winner for Levine, earned the show spot. Unique Beach was as heavily backed as a horse can be paying $2.10 to win. The exacta with Furious Beach returned $9.60 while the triple came back $53.50. Unique Beach is owned by William Hartt of Carmel, ME. Hennessey piloted three winners on the Tuesday card as he continues to thrive in his two days per week driving at Saratoga.

Live racing continues on Wednesday at Saratoga Casino Hotel with first post time set for Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

Monday’s matinee card at Saratoga Casino Hotel was highlighted by the 8^th annual John Mongeon Sr. Memorial Trotting Series Final. The two legs of the Series were dominated by Dewey Arnold (Deweycheatumnhowe) who wound up as the public’s 1-9 betting favorite in the Final. Dave Dewhurst trains Dewey Arnold who has been a revelation in his three year old season. A solid trotter as a two year old, Dewey Arnold has had a breakout campaign in 2021 and came into Monday’s $32,900 Final on a five-race win streak. After crushing the competition in both of the legs of the Series, Dewey Arnold would likely have been a big-time favorite regardless of post position but after drawing the rail for the Final was as big of a favorite as you can have. Dewey Arnold moved out to the early lead under the guidance of reinsman Jimmy Devaux on Monday and it was lights out from there. The rising star cruised to a nine-length romp in 1:55.4 to complete the Series sweep. Battle Queen (Billy Dobson), who was the runner-up to Dewey Arnold in both legs of the Series, again came up second-best to him in Monday’s Final after getting the pocket ride behind the winner. Longshot Royal Soldier (Dan Cappello Jr), a leg two winner, earned the show spot in the Final. Dewey Arnold, who is co-owned by his trainer Dave Dewhurst and Philip Hale, of New Hartford, NY, will enter stakes season on a tear after securing his sixth straight victory. The win was one of two for Dewhurst and Devaux on the afternoon as four year old mare Sweet Sofie T (Conway Hall) cruised to a front-running score in a $10,150 race for trotters.

Live racing continues on Tuesday afternoon at Saratoga with the $32,200 J.P. Morel Memorial Pacing Series Final highlighting a 12-race card. There is a $4,372 carryover in the Pick Five pool heading into Tuesday. The Pick Five starts in the afternoon’s first race which is scheduled for Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

In the more than seventy years of harness racing at Saratoga Casino Hotel, there has never been a faster mile by a mare than the one Surreal Feeling (So Surreal) paced on Wednesday afternoon. The Dale Lawton-trained distaffer has been a winning machine over the course of her career as the six year old mare came into Wednesday’s try in the $14,000 Fillies and Mares Open with 25 wins in 74 lifetime tries. Tasked with taking on 1-2 betting favorite Robyn Camden (Greg Merton) who dominated in last week’s Fillies and Mares Open, Surreal Feeling powered out to the early lead on Wednesday. The speedy mare paid a stiff price to get to the front-end as it took a first quarter of 26.4 to secure the top spot. After pacing the half in 56 seconds and with Robyn Camden looming large and closing in, Surreal Feeling just continued to roll along with Alek Chartrand in the sulky. The Lawton trainee proved up to the task and not only prevailed in the feature but actually drew away to win it by better than five lengths. The margin of victory wasn’t the real highlight from the win though. The final time of 1:51.3 was not only eye-popping, it was record-breaking. Or at least, record tying. Surreal Feeling is now the co-record holder for fastest lady pacer in track history as her 1:51.3 in Wednesday’s Open matched the time set by Velocity Vespa in 2016 as the fastest for an aged pacing mare in Saratoga history. Surreal Feeling is owned by Chris Lawton and her trainer Dale Lawton, both of New York. The exacta with the favored Robyn Camden second returned $13.60 while the triple completed by Casie’s Believer (Joe Chindano Jr) paid $30.60. The win was the fifth of the season for Surreal Feeling and her third in a local Open in ’21.

Live racing resumes on Monday afternoon when the $32,900 John Mongeon Sr. Memorial Trotting Series Final highlights a 12-race card. First post time is set for Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Cheyanne Mandy