The red-hot stretch for conditioner Amanda Kelley continued on Tuesday afternoon at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The meet’s second leading trainer saw her stable’s star Some Waratah A (Somebeachsomewhere) add yet another to his impressive win total for the season as the Aussie invader prevailed in Tuesday’s $14,000 Open Pace. Some Waratah A moved his record to six for nine in 2021 as the talented pacer scored in 1:52.4 to register his third win in four starts in the local feature. Greg Merton was forced to change tactics with Some Waratah A this week in the Open as the race was filled with early speed. A horse who has thrived on the lead since coming to the U.S. this winter came from off the pace this week and had the benefit of being a closer in a race that went to the half in 55 seconds. Some Waratah A got a second-over trip and powered off his cover heading to the three-quarter pole before taking the lead in the stretch. Some Waratah A was the Open’s 4-5 betting favorite as he bested invader Lachie Maguire N (Jimmy Devaux) and Artful Way (Billy Dobson) who finished second and third. The exacta and triple paid $43 and $156, respectively. Some Waratah A was one of four winners on the card for his connections as owner the Scheigert Racing Stable of Saratoga Springs, NY, Amanda Kelley and Greg Merton teamed up for a grand slam on the beautiful spring afternoon in the Spa City. In addition to the win in the Open, they scored victories with pacers Lake Charles, Franco Tristan N and Real Kid to continue their local hot streak.

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

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

There were three divisions of the second leg of the John Mongeon Sr. Memorial Trotting Series contested on Monday afternoon at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Trotters had their final chance to acquire points towards punching tickets to the $30,000+ Final. The leg one dominant force cemented his series favorite status on Monday as Dewey Arnold (Deweycheatumnhowe) again proved much the best. The Dave Dewhurst trainee came into leg two on a four-race win streak and left it with five consecutive victories under his belt. Jimmy Devaux piloted the three year old trotter to yet another decisive, front-running romp in his $10,000 division of the series as he stopped the timer in a dazzling 1:55.4. Battle Queen (Billy Dobson) finished second to Dewey Arnold for the second consecutive week and locked up her spot in next week’s Final. Dewey Arnold gave Devaux one of his five driving wins on the matinee program.

Royal Soldier (RC Royalty) got a pocket trip for trainer-driver Dan Cappello Jr. and proved up to the task in his division of the series. The five year old cruised up the passing lane before stopping the timer in 1:57.3 to set a new lifetime mark and secure his spot in next week’s Final. Royal Soldier paid $6.30 to win as he ended the win streak of Cindy Michelle (John Stark Jr). Leg one winner Cindy Michelle was her race’s favorite as she came into leg two off four consecutive victories. The first-over trip got the best of her on Monday though she ended up a strong third and will be part of next week’s Final. There was a longshot winner in the Mongeon Memorial’s second leg. Ruthless Workout (Whataworkout) parlayed his pocket trip to victory with leading driver Billy Dobson at the controls. Ruthless Workout, who is trained by Scott Mongeon, sprung the upset while dismissed at odds of 17-1. The Final of the eighth annual John Mongeon Sr. Memorial Series is set for next Monday (May 24) and will go for a purse of upwards of $30,000.

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

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

The $14,000 Fillies and Mares Open was the feature on a Wednesday afternoon card at Saratoga Casino Hotel that was marred by an ugly accident. Greg Merton picked up the catch-drive behind the Rob Harmon-trained Robyn Camden in the feature for distaffers after scheduled pilot Jay Randall was injured in a race two wreck. Robyn Camden always thrives when she comes to town and the invading mare continued that trend as the race’s 1-5 betting favorite on Wednesday. Merton took Robyn Camden back early and she sat patiently in a first half that went in 57 seconds. The six year old swung first-over past the half and unleashed an attack on the race’s front-running longshot before drawing away to win in 1:53.4. Surreal Feeling (Alek Chartrand) brought a three-race local win streak into the Open and made a late move after getting away last in the six-horse feature. Behind a strong final quarter, Surreal Feeling finished as the runner-up to Robyn Camden. Thats Incredible (Brett Crawford) earned the show spot. Robyn Camden is now two-for-two in the local Open this season for her owner Jason Osullivan of Dublin, Ireland.

Our thoughts and well wishes go out to all of those involved in the race two accident, especially driver Jay Randall. The horses involved all eventually walked away from the incident. Since the race was declared a no contest, the Virginia O’Brien Memorial Pacing Series has now been postponed for two weeks and will start anew on May 26^th with the first of two legs that will lead up to the Final which will go for a purse of more than $30,000. Live racing resumes at Saratoga on Monday afternoon with first post set for Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

Tuesday marked the start of the eighth annual J.P. Morel Memorial Pacing Series at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The $10,000 per division series, which went on hiatus in 2020, saw a dominant force emerge as Unique Beach (Somebeachsomewhere) scored decisively in Tuesday’s first leg. The four year old Melissa Beckwith trainee came into the series off back-to-back victories which came by a total of more than eighteen lengths. Wally Hennessey piloted Unique Beach on Tuesday and moved the 1-9 betting favorite out to the early lead. The rising star never faced an anxious moment before pacing away from his rivals to score by four lengths in 1:55.4. Longshot Hot Joe (Phil Fluet) closed to be second while Thor And Dr Jones (Greg Merton) held on to finish third. Unique Beach, who is owned by William Hartt of Carmel, ME, came into the series as the one to beat and came out of leg one as its dominant force.

The other division of the first leg of the J.P. Morel Memorial Pace went the way of Furious Beach (Somebeachsomewhere) who prevailed for leading trainer Gary Levine and reinsman Shawn Gray. Furious Beach lasted on the lead while hanging on to score in 1:59.2. 65-1 shot The Best Tyme Ever (Alek Chartrand) finished second while King Spencer (Billy Dobson) earned the show spot. The victory was one of four on the card for Gray and two for Levine. There is one more leg of the series set to be contested next Tuesday (May 18^th) leading up to the Final which will go for a purse of upwards of $30,000.

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

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

Monday marked the kickoff of the 8^th annual John Mongeon Sr. Memorial Trotting Series at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The series, which went on hiatus in 2020, is back this year and during Monday’s matinee, there were three divisions of the first leg, each of which went for a purse of $10,000. Coming into the day, the series’ clear one to beat was Dewey Arnold. The Dave Dewhurst-trained three year old was back in town following an overwhelmingly successful stint at Pocono Downs that saw the sophomore rattle off three straight victories including his most recent one which came in a career-best 1:53.2. Dewey Arnold (Deweycheatumnhowe) had one thing going against him coming into the series though. He made breaks in each of his two starts at the Spa this spring which potentially made him vulnerable in the series. The betting public wasn’t concerned about the breaks though and bet the talented trotter down to odds of 1-9 in the first division of the series contested on Monday. The bettors were proven correct as Jimmy Devaux guided Dewey Arnold to a decisive, wire-to-wire score in 1:57.2, a time that by far was the fastest among the leg one winners as he stamped himself as the big favorite in the series.

Notoutofthewoods (Prayer I Am) picked a good time to put in a lifetime-best effort on Monday as the Cheryl Whitcroft-trained trotter stopped the timer in 2:00.2 to record her biggest career victory in leg one of the Mongeon Memorial Trot. Driver Mark Whitcroft got a pocket trip with the four year old who moved off the rail around the final turn before coming on to prevail while at odds of 3-1. The final leg of the first division went the way of young filly Cindy Michelle (E L Titan). The John Stark Jr. trained and driven three year old won her fourth consecutive race on Monday and did it despite getting a tough first-over journey. Cindy Michelle stopped the timer in a career-best 1:59.3 in what was her fourth win in five lifetime starts. She was her race’s even-money favorite. There is one division of the series remaining which will take place next Monday afternoon (May 17^th) leading up to the Final which will go for a purse of more than $30,000.

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

Mike Sardella

Photo: Cheyanne Mandy

Driver Jimmy Devaux had a strong week at Saratoga Casino Hotel and on Wednesday, the veteran reinsman drove the feature winner for the second consecutive afternoon. Devaux sat behind the Brett Derue-trained Misty Memory N (Real Desire) who wound up repeating on the lead in the matinee’s $10,000 featured race for fillies and mares. Misty Memory N cruised to an easy lead once again this week and never faced much of a challenge before completing a coast-to-coast score in 1:54.1, a new career-best win time. Thats Incredible (Shawn Gray) fought through a trip that saw her close into a final half of 56.3 to finish second to the favorite while Hereslooknatyou N (Phil Fluet) earned the show spot. Misty Memory N was the public’s 4-5 top choice in the wagering on Wednesday as she secured her third win of the season and the 20^th of her career. She led an exacta and triple that paid $8.70 and $17.80. Misty Memory N, who was owned in partnership by Brett Derue, Steve Picarazzi and Scott Petillo of NY, was claimed out of Wednesday’s race.  The victory for Devaux in the feature for distaffers came one day after he enjoyed a three-win Tuesday afternoon at the Spa which was highlighted by him guiding Sports Obsession to a score in the $14,000 Open Pace.

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

Mike Sardella

Photo: Cheyanne Mandy

On Monday afternoon, we had a first-time Open winner at Saratoga Casino Hotel as Gigfy parlayed a pocket ride to prevail in the Open Trot en route to his first ever victory in the local trotting feature. On Tuesday, Sports Obsession (Sportwriter) came into the $14,000 Open Pace seeking to be the next horse to prevail in an Open for the first time at the Spa. Jimmy Devaux piloted the Jimmy Nickerson-trained pacer to a second-place finish in last week’s (April 27) Open. On Tuesday, Sports Obsession returned to the front-end and Devaux gave the four year old a bit of breather after reaching the quarter in 27.4. After getting a half in 57 seconds, Sports Obsession was tested only mildly to three-quarters before checking-in in 1:24.4. Sports Obsession, who went off at odds of 4-1, was then met with the challenge from pocket-sitting favorite Crockets Cullen N (Larry Stalbaum) but rebuffed that bid in the stretch before stopping the timer in 1:53 to register his first Open win at the Spa. Crockets Cullen N had to settle for second while longshot Juxlivin My Dream (Shawn Gray) finished third. Sports Obsession paid $10.20 to win and led an exacta and triple that returned $23.40 and $151.50, respectively. For Sports Obsession, while it was his first score in a local feature, it was victory number five on the season. The young pacer, who is owned by Joseph Trice, of Hampden, ME, accounted for one of the three winners for Devaux on the Tuesday card.

Nobody hit the Pick Five on Tuesday so there will be a carryover of $4,162 for Wednesday’s Pick Five that begins in the first race. The jackpot has built up to $6,952.27 in the Jackpot Pick Six wager that kicks off in the afternoon’s sixth race. First post time is set for Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

Gigfy (Broadway Hall) has been an off-and-on participant in the Open Trot at Saratoga Casino Hotel over the past couple of seasons. Usually a longshot in the trotting feature, the Brian Mattison trainee has never really established himself as a formidable Open force. That has changed a bit this season though as the seven year old who had a strong winter racing at the Meadowlands has been a factor in his limited attempts in the local trotting feature. Following back to back victories at the Spa in March, Gigfy moved up into the featured race for trotters and finished a strong, albeit distant, second to this year’s local stalwart Gruden. Though he faded on the lead as the favorite in the start leading up into Monday’s try in the Open Trot, Gigfy got some board support this week and wound up going off at odds of 9-2 in the $14,000 trotting feature. Alek Chartrand moved Gigfy out to the early lead but gave way to millionaire trotter Cash Me Out (Phil Fluet) heading to the quarter in order to get a pocket trip. With the tempo tepid in lap one, the race did not set up for closers and it was Cash Me Out and Gigfy that decided it in deep stretch. Gigfy surged in the passing lane and got up in time to record his first ever win the Open Trot, stopping the timer in 1:58.2 to edge Cash Me Out. Gruden (Billy Dobson), the race’s favorite, closed to be finish third. Gigfy paid $11.20 to win in the mild upset and led an exacta and triple that paid $46 and $142.50, respectively. It was win number four in eleven tries in 2021 for Gigfy who is owned by Gerald D’Alessandro of Ocala, FL and Bridgette Mattison of Watervliet, NY.

Live racing continues in front of the fans starting at Noon on Tuesday.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

With no Fillies and Mares Open on the docket on Wednesday afternoon, a $10,000 conditional event for the ladies served as the feature at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Misty Memory N (Real Desire) took her shot in the Open last week and despite getting some support from the bettors never factored much in the big race for distaffers. On Wednesday, the Brett Derue trainee drew the rail off the class drop and wound up as the 8-5 public choice in the wagering. Jimmy Devaux piloted Misty Memory N and the meet’s second leading driver was aggressive from the get-go in the feature powering out to the early lead. The eight year old New Zealand invader never faced a legit challenge before pouring it on late to prevail by five and a half lengths in 1:55. Hereslooknatyou N (Phil Fluet) raced parked throughout the majority of the mile but still held strong to finish second while Glenferrie Blade A (Billy Dobson) came on to be third. Misty Memory N paid $5.40 to win and led an exacta and triple that returned $17.40 and $83.50, respectively. The victory was the second of the season for Misty Memory N who has hit the board in nine of her twelve starts in 2021 for owners Picarazzi, Petillo and Derue, all of NY.

Live racing resumes on Monday afternoon starting at Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

It was a big afternoon on Tuesday for trainer Amanda Kelley and driver Greg Merton at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Not only did the pair win the $13,000 Open Pace together but they teamed up for a couple of victories on the card. Some Waratah A (Somebeachsomewhere) has been terrific since coming over from Australia this winter. The Kelley trainee came into Tuesday’s Open with three wins and two seconds in six starts since the move to the U.S. This week, Some Waratah A was assigned post six in the six-horse feature and driver Greg Merton put the 2-5 betting favorite in gear in the early going. Rival Sports Obsession (Jimmy Devaux) was also aggressive at the start and forced the favorite into the pocket. After cruising through the first quarter in 27.3, Sports Obsession got a breather before getting to the half in 57.1. The tempo quickened a bit heading towards three-quarters and the top two got a bit of separation from the remainder of the rivals. Some Waratah A got revved up around the final turn and powered past Sports Obsession in the lane before coming on to win in 1:53.2. After having to settle for second-best in two straight tries, Some Waratah A was able to return to the winner’s circle for his second local Open Pace victory. Sports Obsession held strong to be second while Waimac Attack N (Jay Randall) earned the show spot. Some Waratah A led an exacta and triple that paid $6.70 and $19.60 in the feature. The victory in the Open was the second on the card for Kelley and Merton who teamed up to win a claiming pacing event with Gunpowder N (Bettor’s Delight) who moved his local record to two-for-two after recording an “off the pace” score.

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

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino