Ordained (Father Patrick) won the final Open Trot of the 2025 season at Saratoga Casino Hotel in his third local start. Coming to town for trainer Larry Stalbaum late in the year, Ordained enjoyed a monster campaign in which he earned more than $200,000 in ’25. Coming out as a five-year-old this season, Ordained hit the board in the Open on a few occasions but dropped down in company to record his first win last month. Following a third-place finish in his return to the $18,000 feature last week, Ordained started from post four in Monday’s installment of the Open Trot. Billy Dobson took back in the early going and Ordained got away fourth in the six-horse feature. In what was developing as a closer’s race after first-half fractions of 26.4 and 56 seconds were posted, Ordained made his move approaching the three-quarter pole and was up to confront the race’s favorite Morning Edition (Wally Hennessey) who took over the lead at three-quarters. Ordained tracked that one down in the stretch coming on late to register his third win of the season and second in the Open since coming to town last fall. Morning Edition was the runner-up in the feature for the second consecutive week while But Why (Jimmy Devaux) lengthened his “on the board” streak by coming on to finish third. Ordained, who went off at odds of 7-2, is owned by Gary and Tracey Smith.

Live racing continues on Tuesday with a matinee that begins at 12pm.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

But Why is showing that his award-winning 2025 campaign at Saratoga Casino Hotel was no fluke. The Scott Mongeon trainee was named Trotter of the Year and Horse of the Year in ’25 and has come out strong to begin his five year old campaign. On Monday, But Why drew post position six in the six-horse Open Trot and got away last in the $18,000 feature. Fast fractions were set in lap one to the tune of 27.1 and 56 seconds while the track’s defending top trotter sat patiently in the back of the pack. Still last at the half mile pole, But Why began to march up overland before tipping three-wide as they clocked three-quarters in 1:25.4. Longshot Morning Edition (Wally Hennessey) shook free off the rail around the final turn as But Why continued to chip away at the race’s dueling leaders. It was But Why who took over the lead in mid-stretch before stopping the timer in 1:57 to win the Open for the second time in six starts this season. Morning Edition was the runner-up to But Why while Ordained (Billy Dobson) earned the show spot. But Why has hit the board in all six of his starts in the Open this year and became the fourth trotter to win the regular Monday feature multiple times in 2026. But Why, who paid $9.52 to win in the mild upset, was driven to victory by Jimmy Devaux.

Live racing continues on Tuesday with a first post time of 12pm. There will be a Pick Five carryover of $3,809 starting in race one on the matinee card while the Pick Four will feature a carryover of $960 beginning in race two.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Fringed made his return to the track a winning one in Monday’s feature at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Dan Daley trains and drives the five year old trotter who made his 2026 debut in the $16,500 Open Trot and Fringed flashed early speed to take an immediate lead after the start. Trotting unopposed in a first half of 57.1, Fringed was met with the challenge of the odds-on favorite Platinum As (Aaron Byron) who got to within a length of the leader past three quarters in 1:26.3. Fringed showed no signs of any rust as he held strong late in the mile to secure a victory in 1:56.2 and register his first Open win at the Spa. Platinum As came up second-best while But Why (Jimmy Devaux), who came in off back-to-back wins in the Open, closed to finish third. Fringed paid $14.64 to win in the mild upset.

Live racing continues on Tuesday at Saratoga with a matinee that starts at 12pm.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

But Why got the job done again in the Monday feature at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The track’s defending Horse of the Year made his return to the winner’s circle last time out and went the distance to prevail for the second consecutive week on Monday. Jimmy Devaux is the regular driver for But Why and together they overcame their outside post in the early going making it to the lead in this week’s installment of the $16,500 Open Trot. But Why worked hard at the start getting to the quarter in 27.4 before clicking off a half in 57.2. A first-over Malibu Kid (Leon Bailey) kept plugging away and approached the favored leader who rattled off three quarters in 1:27.4. Malibu Kid came from better than ten lengths out at the half mile pole to close sharply on But Why in the stretch. That tandem was joined by pocket-sitting Dewey Arnold (Jacob Cutting) as those three trotters slugged it out in the race’s final strides. But Why emerged victorious on a cold day in 1:57.4 by the slimmest of margins in what was a blanket finish that saw four high-steppers separated by a head at the wire. But Why, who is owned by Steven And Laura Stewart, was a fourteen-time winner in ’25 and now owns two victories in four starts this year. Malibu Kid was the runner-up while Dewey Arnold hit the board for the second straight week in the feature as he finished third. Scott Mongeon trains the five year old gelding who is approaching the quarter million dollar mark for his career.

Live racing continues on Tuesday with a matinee that starts at 12pm.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

The 2025 Horse of the Year at Saratoga Casino Hotel But Why made his return to the winner’s circle for the first time in ’26 on Monday when he scored a wire-to-wire win in the Open Trot. Jimmy Devaux was the regular driver for But Why last year for trainer Scott Mongeon and has piloted him in all three of his seasonal tries while on the comeback trail. Following a third and second-place finish, respectively, in his two starts back, But Why was the even-money favorite in Monday’s installment of the $16,500 Open for high-steppers. Devaux powered the track’s defending champ out to the lead where he cruised through honest first-half fractions of 28.1 and 57.2. The five-year-old gelding held firm through three quarters in 1:27 before trotting away from the competition and reporting home a decisive winner in the feature in a mile clocked in 1:56.4. Longshot Dewey Arnold (Jacob Cutting) closed to be second at odds of 16-1 while there was a dead-heat for show between In A Tiny Way (Aaron Byron) and Malibu Kid (Leon Bailey). A fourteen-time winner in ’25, But Why is owned by Steve and Laura Stewart of Petersburgh, NY.

Live racing continues on Tuesday with a first post time of 12pm.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Racy Roxy A was a two-time winner of the Fillies and Mares at Saratoga Casino Hotel in 2025. The Rob Harmon-trained mare spent the early part of her ’26 campaign battling the top mares at the Spa before dropping in company and recording a pair of victories. On Monday, Racy Roxy A was back in the Open and drew post two for her try in the $16,500 feature for the ladies. Jay Randall moved the Harmon trainee out to the early lead and cruised through comfortable first-half fractions of 28.1 and 57.3 before being met with the challenge of co-favored Soft Shot (Kyle Swift). Soft Shot, a two-time winner of the Open in her first season competing at Saratoga, got a tough trip first-over on upset-minded Racy Roxy A who checked in at three quarters in 1:25.4. Racy Roxy A put the co-favorite away but had to contend with One More Bet (Brett Beckwith) who sat the pocket every step of the way. That rival, who was making her debut in the Open, closed quickly in the passing lane before coming up just a nose shy in a photo. Racy Roxy A stopped the timer in 1:55 to secure the upset at odds of 9-1. One More Bet was the runner-up while Soft Shot earned the show spot. Racy Roxy A completed a double for the Rob Harmon stable while driver Jay Randall piloted three winners on the Monday card.

Live racing continues on Tuesday with a matinee that begins at 12pm. Race one will feature a Pick Five carryover of $5,511. The Pick Five is a 50 cent wager. Race two begins the $1 Pick Four which will have a carryover of $1,757.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Memorynimagination (Father Patrick) became the second trotter to win the Open three times in the 2026 season at Saratoga Casino Hotel when on Monday, the Jimmy Nickerson trainee went coast-to-coast. The five-year-old high-stepper drew the best post he’s had thus far this year and left from the four-hole in the $16,500 Open Trot. Matt Athearn is the regular driver for Memorynimagination who traveled unopposed in a first half that went in 57.4. By The Book (Jay Randall) rode the coattails of the leader throughout getting the pocket ride just as he did two weeks ago in the Open when he was the runner-up. Memorynimagination bumped up his lead after checking-in at the three quarters in 1:26.3 and Athearn was just a passenger in the stretch before the Nickerson trainee reported home a two-length winner in 1:55. By The Book finished second in the feature while Ordained (Larry Stalbaum) earned the show spot. Memorynimagination’s win was his third in the Open this year as he looks to follow up a ’25 campaign in which he earned more than $140,000. The 4-5 betting favorite on Monday is owned by Joseph Trice. Memorynimagination joins Platinum As as three-time winners in the Open Trot in 2026.

Live racing continues on Tuesday with a matinee that’s set to begin at 12pm.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

For the second consecutive afternoon at Saratoga Casino Hotel, driver Kyle Swift recorded a hat trick on Monday including a win in the feature with a Jaymes McAssey trainee. Swift sat behind distaffer Soft Shot as she recorded a first-over victory in Sunday’s Fillies and Mares Open and on Monday, it was Soft Shot’s stablemate Send It In Hanover who prevailed in the $16,500 feature. Send It In Hanover won the local Open Trot for the first time earlier this month and on Monday went off at odds of 5-2 when he started from post four. Swift took the five-year-old back in the early going as upset-minded Ordained (Larry Stalbaum) cruised out to an easy lead. Posting first half fractions of 28.3 and 58.4, Ordained held firm on the front-end but Send It In Hanover persevered on the outside before grinding the leader into submission in the stretch and overcame his first-over journey to record a 1:56.4 victory. Ordained held second at odds of 11-1 while defending Horse of the Year But Why (Jimmy Devaux) made his 2026 debut and earned the show spot in his return. Send It In Hanover paid $7.12 to win. Both he and Sunday’s Open winner Soft Shot are owned by Paul O’Neil of Saratoga Springs.

Live racing continues on Tuesday with a matinee that begins at 12pm.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Platinum As became the first trotter to win the Open three times this season at Saratoga Casino Hotel when on Monday afternoon, the Melissa Beckwith trainee went coast-to-coast for the second consecutive week in the $16,500 feature for trotters. It was a monster day for the Beckwith stable and for driver Brett Beckwith who piloted Platinum As to the 1:56.4 score in the feature. Brett Beckwith won four consecutive races on the card and five overall to continue what has been a terrific start to the 2026 campaign for the 23 year old reinsman. Platinum As faced pretty steady pressure throughout in the feature while posting fast first-half fractions of 27.3 and 57.1 but remained strong in the stretch before stopping the timer in 1:56.4 for his third Open win of the year. By The Book (Jay Randall) sat the pocket to the winner before finishing second. Longshot City Of Hope (Jimmy Devaux) earned the show spot. Platinum As was one of four winners out of the Beckwith barn on the Monday matinee card.

Live racing continues on Tuesday with an eleven-race card that begins at 12pm.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Platinum As recorded his first victory of the season back in February and since has been a favorite of the betting public in the early stages of the 2026 season at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The eight year old came up second-best last Monday (March 2) when a beaten favorite for the second consecutive week in the Open Trot but this week, the Melissa Beckwith trainee would not be denied. Brett Beckwith co-owns and drives Platinum As, who does the majority of his heavy lifting as a closer, showed early speed on Monday to make the lead. The 3-5 public choice in the $16,500 feature for high-steppers, Platinum As cruised through a first quarter in 27.4 before getting a bit of a breather and reaching the half in 58 seconds. Memorynimagination (Matt Athearn), a two-time Open winner in ’26, drew post eight on Monday and wound up coming first-over on the race’s favorite. The pursuit, while tenacious, proved futile, at least as far as trying to get to Platinum As who would not be denied. The second win of the year for Platinum As came in 1:56.1 while Memorynimagination was the runner-up. Longshot In A Tiny Way (Aaron Byron) earned the show spot. Platinum As gave Brett Beckwith one of his four winners on the Monday matinee card.

Live racing continues on Tuesday with first post time set for 12pm.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo