Humble A (American Ideal) scored an Open Pace victory on Saturday afternoon in just his second start competing at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The six-year-old pacer made his debut out of the stable of trainer Melissa Beckwith last week (May 2) and sat the pocket before finishing second. On Saturday, Humble A drew post six in the seven-horse Open and showed early speed to again get a two-hole trip, this time to front-runner Ahi Sunshine (Jimmy Devaux). Ahi Sunshine set sizzling first-half fractions over the sloppy going of 26.4 and 56 seconds on the lead in the $18,000 feature before being confronted in the second lap by odds-on favorite Blazing Home N (Larry Stalbaum). That five-time Open winner in 2026 toughed it out overland while in pursuit of Ahi Sunshine before those two were joined by Humble A in the stretch. That trio was separated by a total of three-quarters of a length at the wire in a mile clocked in 1:52.4. It was Humble A who emerged victorious in the feature getting up to win for the first time in his two local tries. Blazing Home N had to settle for second-best while Ahi Sunshine earned the show spot. Humble A paid $7.88 to win in what was his fourth victory in the ’26 campaign all told. The winner is owned by William Hartt and was piloted to the Saturday score by Aaron Byron.

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

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

In his first local season, Jacob Cutting won the awards for both Up-and-Coming Driver and Up-and-Coming Trainer at Saratoga Casino Hotel in 2025. This year, Cutting turned over training duties to wife Kendra and together, they have been a force. On Saturday, the Cuttings teamed up for three winners on the matinee card. Claiming pacers Heavens Gona Rock and Reigning Deo each got pocket rides in their respective races and parlayed those journeys to Saturday scores. Virgin Honor made just his second start of the season in a claiming pace on the matinee card and moved first-over on his race’s favorite Monaco Hanover (Wally Hennessey). One of the top claimers at the track over the course of the last couple of seasons, Virgin Honor proved up to the task on Saturday grinding the favorite into submission late en route to victory in 1:58.1. Kendra Cutting has surged up the trainer standings in the last few weeks climbing into the top ten for the 2026 campaign after her Saturday hat trick.

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

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Blazing Home N won the Open Pace at Saratoga Casino Hotel for the fourth time this season when on Saturday the classy seven year old surged up the passing lane to record the victory. Larry Stalbaum owns, trains and drives Blazing Home N who didn’t factor at the finish last week but previously had been the star of the local Open Pace in 2026. On Saturday, Stalbaum had the favorite flash early speed but yielded to last week’s Open winner Belmont Royale N (Aaron Byron) in a first quarter of 27.3. Belmont Royale N, a runner-up in back-to-back features before securing his first Open victory last week, held strong in a half of 57 seconds before rattling off three quarters in 1:25.1 while fielding just mild pressure before turning for home. He hit the home stretch while bracing for Blazing Home N who surged in the passing lane and came on to win it. The favorite prevailed, stopping the timer in 1:53.2 for his sixth win of the year and fourth in the local Open. Belmont Royale N came up second-best while Bitcoin Hanover (Chris Long) earned the show spot. Blazing Home N was the 1-5 betting favorite on Saturday.

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

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Belmont Royale N (Betterthancheddar) made his debut at Saratoga Casino Hotel last month. The nine year old pacer joined the stable of conditioner Melissa Beckwith and following two qualifiers moved right into the local Open Pace. In his first three tries in the regular Saturday feature, Belmont Royale N was the runner-up. On Saturday, Aaron Byron pulled first-over in the $16,500 Open with Belmont Royale N as longshot Hunter Hill (Leon Bailey) cut the mile. Hunter Hill worked hard in the early going and after checking in at the half in 55.3, was confronted by Belmont Royale N who meant business when he overpowered the leader pacing a third quarter in 27.1 and powering away from the competition. The favored Mydadsaid A (Jacob Cutting) gained a bit of ground around the final turn but proved to be no match for Belmont Royale N in the stretch as he recorded a win of a length and three-quarters in a time of 1:51.4, by far the fastest of the still young season at the Spa. Mydadsaid A was the runner-up in the Open while longshot Hunter Hill held on to be third. Belmont Royale N, an earner of more than $370,000 in his career, is owned by Archie McNeil and Bill O’Donnell. His win was the first of back-to-back victories for the Beckwith-Byron combo on the matinee card as their Heisman Player recorded a decisive score in a race for $12,500 claiming pacers. That tandem wound up with a triple on the day when their Literl Lad Hanover overcame post eight to take the finale and record his fourth consecutive win.

Live racing continues on Sunday and will feature a $5,209 carryover in the early Pick Five. The wager starts in race one and is a fifty cent bet. First post time is 12pm.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Blazing Home N scored his third Open Pace victory of the year at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Saturday afternoon. Despite being a beaten favorite in the Open in his previous two starts, Blazing Home N was once again heavily backed by the betting public in the $16,500 feature and went off at odds of 1-5 with his owner/trainer Larry Stalbaum in the sulky. Belmont Royale N (Aaron Byron), the runner-up in last week’s Open, cut the mile and carved out fast first-half fractions of 27.3 and 56.1 before Blazing Home N was tasked with doing just what his name says as he sat patiently in the pocket. The favorite made good on the 1-5 promise as he surged in the passing lane in the stretch to get the better of a game Belmont Royale N in 1:53.2, a time only bested locally in 2026 by Blazing Home N’s stablemate Rocknroll Runa A who won the Open in 1:53 flat in a try in late February. Stalbaum trainees have now won five installments of the Open Pace this year between Rocknroll Runa A and Saturday’s winner Blazing Home N. Belmont Royale N came up second-best for the second straight week while Favorable Draw (Shawn Gray) earned the show spot on Saturday. Blazing Home N now owns five victories overall in ’26 in addition to being a three-time winner in the local Open Pace.

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

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Hunter Hill (Somebeachsomewhere) sprung the upset in the Saturday feature at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Scott West owns and trains the nine-year-old who won the Winners Over last week (March 28) and stepped back up into the Open Pace on Saturday. Leon Bailey fired Hunter Hill off the gate and powered up to take the early lead in the $16,500 Open. Setting fractions of 27.3 and 57 seconds in lap one, Hunter Hill fought a first-over Belmont Royale N (Aaron Byron) to three quarters in 1:25.1. That battle was brought into the stretch where Hunter Hill held firm and scored his first ever victory in the local Open, stopping the timer in 1:53.3 to record the upset at odds of 13-1. Belmont Royale N was a strong second while the favorite Blazing Home N (Tony Morgan) earned the show spot as the race’s 4-5 public choice. Hunter Hill’s win was his fourth of the year and the 40^th in his career.

Live racing resumes on Monday with a matinee that begins at 12pm.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Trainer Jackie Greene continued her recent hot streak on Saturday afternoon at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The former leading trainer at the track, Greene always features horses in the top classes at the Spa and unveiled a new member of her stable in Saturday’s Open Pace. Aussie invader Mydadsaid A made his US debut in the $16,500 feature and had Jacob Cutting at the controls. Mydadsaid A took back in the early going in a race that saw a fast first quarter go in 27.3 with Warrior For Truth (Kyle Swift) cutting the mile. Cutting got a cover trip for Mydadsaid A who followed a parked-out rival before tipping three-wide past three quarters in 1:26.2. While the leader held firm turning for home, Mydadsaid A kept plugging away before eventually taking over midway through the stretch and surging home to win in 1:54 to complete the win in his local debut. Warrior For Truth finished a strong second while longshot Handlelikeaporsche (Aaron Byron) came on to be third. Mydadsaid A was one of two winners for the Greene stable on Saturday as her former award-winner Ahi Sunshine registered his first victory of the season with reinsman Jimmy Devaux at the helm in what was Greene’s third win in the Open Pace in 2026. Her Frisco Bay N recorded a pair of scores in the pacing feature earlier on in the meet. Cutting piloted three winners on the Saturday card.

Live racing continues on Sunday at Saratoga with a first post time of 12pm.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Primo Uomo (Heston Blue Chip) spent a couple of seasons as an Open pacer at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Dave Dewhurst trainee start his 2026 campaign competing in a few lower conditional classes at the Spa but following a strong stretch over the last few weeks was back up in Open company on Saturday afternoon. Drawing post two for his try in the $16,500 feature, Primo Uomo came off the gate aggressively to cut the mile in the Open. After powering through a first quarter in 27.2, Primo Uomo backed it down to reach the half in 57.2 before being confronted by the race’s 1-9 betting favorite Blazing Home N (Larry Stalbaum). A two-time Open winner in ’26, Blazing Home N charged up to the outside of the longshot leader and those two squared off in a heavy duty battle after three quarters in 1:26. Primo Uomo didn’t want to give an inch and the six year old withstood the pressure from the big favorite before stopping the timer in 1:55.2 to complete the upset. Blazing Home N, who rattled off back-to-back jacks in the local Open Pace in February, came up second-best to the 15-1 shot Primo Uomo on Saturday. Invader Warrior For Truth (Jacob Cutting) came on to finish third. Primo Uomo is owned by Chris and Dale Lawton. Devaux piloted four winners on the Saturday card including three in a row during a stretch that included his victory behind Primo Uomo.

Live racing continues on Sunday with a matinee that will feature carryovers in the early Pick Five and Pick Four. The Pick Five starts in race one and will feature a carryover of $3,804 while the Pick Four starts in race two and will have a carryover of $2,191. First post time is set for 12pm.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

On Saturday, Larry Stalbaum’s stable saw one of its members win the Open Pace for the third time on the young season at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Stalbaum’s Blazing Home N prevailed in the featured race for pacers twice early in the month and on Saturday, his Rocknroll Runa A scored as the 8-5 second-choice in the $16,500 Open. Coming off a mile in which he raced parked, Rocknroll Runa A found an early spot in fourth in Saturday’s feature. The favored He’zzz A Wise Sky (Jacob Cutting) carved out the fractions cruising through a first quarter of 27.1 before posting a half in 56.1. Stalbaum made his move with Rocknroll Runa A who confronted the leader past three quarters in 1:24.2 before grinding him into submission around the final turn. The nine-year-old recorded his first victory of the year when he stopped the timer in 1:53 holding off a late bid in the stretch from Tenzing Bromac N (Ron Cushing) who finished second in his debut in the local Open. He’zzz A Wise Sky held on to finish third. Stalbaum owns, trains and drives Rocknroll Runa A who has earned more than $800,000 in his career.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Frisco Bay N has had a feast or famine start to his 2026 campaign at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Jackie Greene trainee pulled off a big-time upset in the season’s first Open Pace of the year contested early in the month. The six year old scored at odds of 34-1 on opening weekend but followed that big effort up with a pair of difficult trips that resulted in him being beaten by more than fifty lengths combined. On Saturday afternoon, Shawn Gray picked up the catch-drive behind Frisco Bay N who started from post four in the six-horse feature. Gray flashed speed with the New Zealand-bred pacer who was pressed nearly every step of the way while posting fractions of 27.1, 56.4 and 1:25.2. Pocket-sitting Captain Caveman (Jacob Cutting) made his debut in the local Open and sat the pocket to Frisco Bay N throughout before coming up second-best to Frisco Bay N who lasted on the lead for a 1:54.4 score in the $16,500 Open. Rebellious (Chris Long) earned the show spot for the second consecutive week in the pacing feature. Frisco Bay N, who paid $15.64 to win in the upset, is owned by Kellogg Racing Stables LLC.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo