Ghostly Casper (Resolve) made his debut at Saratoga Casino Hotel a winning one on Monday afternoon. The Canadian invader was tasked with overcoming post position seven in a seven-horse $18,500 Open Trot and Jimmy Devaux got the call to sit behind the Sara Baillargeon-trained high-stepper. A six-figure earner in 2024, Ghostly Casper flashed early speed in his Spa debut and moved to the lead in a first quarter clocked in a fast 27.2. Devaux kept the five year old rolling as they coasted through a half in 56.3 before rattling off three-quarters in 1:25.3. Up Helly AA (Chris Long) was the first challenger to test Ghostly Casper but the bid was quickly thwarted by the invader who stopped the timer in 1:55.1 as a decisive two-length winner. Up Helly AA was the runner-up to the 2-5 betting favorite while pocket-sitter Send It In Hanover (Wally Hennessey) earned the show spot. Ghostly Casper’s win was his third of the season for owners Baillargeon, Davidson and Vena.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Send It In Hanover made his debut in the $16,000 Open Trot at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Monday afternoon. Wally Hennessey trains and drives the four year old who drew the rail for his first start against the track’s top high-steppers and went off at odds of 6-1 in the six-horse Open. Hennessey assumed the lead with Send It In Hanover who had hit the board in nine of ten starts in 2025 but was winless coming into his Monday try. Setting first-half fractions of 28.1 and 58.1 worked to the favor of Send It In Hanover before he was confronted. The youngster rebuffed his first and only legitimate challenge before holding strong in the stretch and reporting home a length winner in 1:56.4. Longshot Draco S (Jimmy Devaux) came on to finish second while Fringed (Dan Daley) earned the show spot. The winner paid $15 in the upset and led an exacta and triple that returned $102.50 and $440.50, respectively. Send It In Hanover, who gave Hennessey one of his three driving winners on the card, is owned by Paul O’Neil of Saratoga Springs.

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

The 2024 Horse of the Year at Saratoga Casino Hotel By The Book (Chapter Seven) won nine races in his award-winning campaign. Although the ’25 season hasn’t been quite as productive for the Scott Mongeon trainee thus far, the six year old trotter is still competing at a high level against the track’s top trotters. On Monday afternoon, By The Book drew the outside post for his try in the Open Trot but after a scratch, inherited post six. Driver Jay Randall was patient in the early going with the award-winning trotter who got away last in the $16,000 six-horse feature. The favored Duke Lavictoire (Wally Hennessey) set first-half fractions of 27.2 and 57.3 before By The Book made his move approaching the three-quarter pole. Climbing out of a hole of nearly ten lengths, By The Book took over the lead in the stretch before stopping the timer in 1:56.3 to record his second Open victory of the campaign. Duke Lavictoire was the runner-up while Draco S (Mark Beckwith) finished third in his local debut. By The Book, who is owned in partnership by Harrison, Barthelmas and Murray, paid $6.20 to win on Monday and led an exacta and triple that returned $15.20 and $107, respectively.  Randall piloted a pair of winners on the Monday card.

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

With no Open Trot on the docket, a $13,000 trotting event served as the Monday afternoon feature at Saratoga Casino Hotel. But Why (Crazy Wow) drew the rail as he dropped out of the Open following a trio of disappointing starts in the regular Monday feature after enjoying a strong spring against the track’s top trotters. The Scott Mongeon-trained high-stepper was the 4-5 betting favorite and had Mark Beckwith at the controls as he yielded in the early going to fellow Open dropper Coventry Hall (Jacob Cutting) who set fast fractions of 27.4 and 56.4 in the first half. As But Why rode the coattails of the leader, Send It In Hanover (Wally Hennessey) took his shot on the outside of Coventry Hall who withstood the pressure from Send It In Hanover before succumbing to the bid in the passing lane from But Why who came on to win in 1:55.3. The victory was the eighth on the season in eighteen starts for But Why who led an exacta with Coventry Hall second that returned $12 while the triple rounded out by Send It In Hanover paid $17 (on a $2 wager). But Why is owned by Steve and Laura Stewart of Petersburgh, NY.

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

Up Helly Aa (Armbro Barrister) was the biggest longshot in the Open Trot contested on Monday afternoon at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The six year old was ignored in the wagering despite having scored in the previous Open on June 30^th at odds of 28-1. Coincidentally, the Jaymes McAssey-trained trotter again was dismissed at 28-1 when he drew post position four in Monday’s $16,000 feature. Billy Dobson sat behind Up Helly Aa who got away fifth in the six-horse Open and sat nearly eight lengths off the lead at the half mile pole. The upset-minded highstepper picked up the cover of the favored Dewey Arnold (Jimmy Devaux) who made steady progress in the second half on leader Coventry Hall (Jacob Cutting) who set eye-popping first-half fractions of 26.4 and 55.1. The closers surged around the final turn and Up Helly Aa tipped off the cover before storming home to score in 1:56.2 to spring the upset over Dewey Arnold and Coventry Hall who finished second and third, respectively. After paying $58.50 to win in last week’s upset, Up Helly Aa returned $58.00 in Monday’s repeat score.

Up Helly AA (Armbro Barrister) prevailed back in February in the first Open Trot contested this season at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Jaymes McAssey trainee raced against the track’s top trotters for a while at that point before dropping in company. Following back-to-back victories recorded in conditional races in May, Up Helly AA moved back into the Open where he finished third on June 16^th when drawing the rail. On Monday, the six year old drew the inside post once again but was dismissed at odds of 28-1 with Billy Dobson in the sulky. In a race that saw early speed result in a first quarter of 27.2 and a half in 57.1, Up Helly AA moved to the outside past three-quarters while approaching the race’s co-favorite Duke Lavictoire (Wally Hennessey) who had spent the majority of the mile parked out before clearing at the three-quarter pole. Up Helly AA cruised past Duke Lavictoire in the stretch en route to a score in 1:57.4 to record his second Open win of the year. Ramborain (Dan Daley) got away last but progressed well in the final half before coming on to finish second while Duke Lavictoire held on for third. Up Helly AA paid $58.50 to win in the upset and led an exacta and triple that returned $307.50 and $2546, respectively.  Up Helly AA is owned by Ian Fromowitz of Ontario, Canada. The Monday sulky star was Jacob Cutting who piloted a career-high six winners on the card.

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

City Of Hope sprung a mild upset in the Monday feature at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Jimmy Devaux pilots the Dave Dewhurst trainee who rode a two-race win streak into his Monday try that saw him draw post four in the $16,000 Open Trot. City Of Hope flashed early speed in his return to Open company and sat the two-hole to co-favored Passarino (Mark Beckwith). Passarino rattled off a pretty comfortable half that went in 57.4 while City Of Hope rode his coattails before popping the pocket around the final turn. The Dewhurst trainee roared home in the stretch to get the better of Passarino en route to a 1:56.2 score which was his third in a row, fourth of the year but his first in the Open this season. Passarino was the runner-up while Up Helly AA (Wally Hennessey) earned the show spot. City Of Hope gave Devaux one of the reinsman’s three victories on the card while paying $13.60 to win in the mild upset in the feature.

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

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Talking Tom (Artspeak) dropped and popped in Monday’s feature at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Perry Simser trainee, who has spent much of his last few seasons as an Open pacer at the Spa, finished second and third, respectively, in the two starts that led up to Monday’s try in the $13,000 feature for pacers. Leon Bailey piloted Talking Tom and flashed early speed with the eight-year-old who wound up getting the pocket ride following a retake to the front by the favored Henceforth (Jay Randall). Henceforth rattled off first-half fractions of 27.1 and 56.4 before seeing his lead shrink just a bit past three quarters in 1:25. Henceforth held strong in the stretch before getting passed late by Talking Tom who stopped the timer in 1:53.3 en route to recording his first victory of the season. Henceforth finished second while Ahi Sunshine (Aaron Byron) earned the show spot. Talking Tom is owned in partnership by Dennis Nye and trainer Perry Simser.

Live racing continues on Tuesday at Saratoga with a first post set for 12pm.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Big Box Hanover (Uncle Peter) is one of the winningest horses in the Open Trot at Saratoga Casino Hotel over the course of the last few seasons. On Monday afternoon, the Larry Stalbaum trainee added another victory to his tally when he overcame post eight to prevail for the second consecutive week. Billy Dobson catch-drove Big Box Hanover who raced parked out throughout the mile in the $16,000 feature for trotters. The eight-year-old veteran won for the fourth time of the season and third time in the local Open when he toughed it out overland to score in 1:56.1. Big Box Hanover, who is owned by his trainer Larry Stalbaum, paid $23.40 to win in the upset. Wania (Jimmy Devaux) closed to be second to Big Box Hanover on Monday while Four Sixes (Mark Beckwith) held on to be third.

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

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Big Box Hanover has been a force among local trotters for the last few years at Saratoga Casino Hotel. On Monday, the eight year old was tasked with overcoming post position six in the Open Trot at the Spa. Matt Athearn drove the Larry Stalbaum trainee who got away sixth in the early going and was almost nine lengths off the lead in the first quarter of the $16,000 featured race. The race’s leader set fast fractions of 27 and 56.4 in the first half as Big Box Hanover grabbed the cover of Remember Titans (Aaron Byron) who struck the lead past three quarters in 1:25.3. Big Box Hanover tipped off the cover turning for home before coming on to best the featured field in 1:56. It was the second consecutive day in which a Stalbaum trainee won a local Open as his Mr Mclaren N prevailed in Sunday’s Open Pace. Big Box Hanover paid $7.80 to win in a victory that resulted in his career earnings move just dollars shy of the $800,000 mark. Remember Titans was the runner-up while the favorite Passarino (Jacob Cutting) earned the show spot. Stalbaum owns Big Box Hanover whose win was his third of the season and the 55^th in his career.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo