Turn The Page N scored an impressive victory in the Sunday afternoon feature at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Drawing post eight for her try in the $16,500 Fillies and Mares Open, Turn The Page N floated out a bit early but was unable to find a seat. The seven year old wound up getting parked the mile albeit with cover as another parked-out rival did some of the heavy lifting for Turn The Page N. Ron Cushing sat behind Turn The Page N who continued to battle overland before tipping to the far outside around the final turn and powering up to get by Waitforever N (Leon Bailey) in the final strides. Waitforever wound up as the runner-up for the second consecutive week and for the third time in four starts in the ladies’ Open this season when she finished second to Turn The Page N in the 1:57 mile. The race’s favorite Miss Idaho A (Larry Stalbaum) finished third. Turn The Page N’s win came in just her second start in the 2026 season following a third-place finish at Yonkers last week. Cushing co-owns Turn The Page N with Kevin Sywyk. The New Zealand invader, who is trained by Heidi Cushing, paid $11.68 to win in the mild upset.

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

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Island Bouhinia A (Betting Line) came into Sunday’s feature having been the runner-up in the Fillies and Mares Open in three of her last five starts dating back to last year. On Sunday, the seven-year-old distaffer drew the rail in pursuit of her first ever win in the ladies’ Open and had Jacob Cutting at the controls for her try in the $16,500 feature. Island Bouhinia A sat the pocket in a race where the pacesetter sizzled through a first half in 55.4. Last week’s Open winner Waitforever N (Leon Bailey) charged after the leader and began to wear her down at the head of the stretch. Just then, Island Bouhinia A found open road in the passing lane and began her charge up the rail. The Amanda Kelley trainee got up in time to win it in 1:55 while Waitforever N continued her strong stretch to begin the ’26 season with a pair of runner-up tries to go with last week’s Open victory. Longshot Perfect Queen (Matt Athearn) earned the show spot in Sunday’s feature. Island Bouhinia A is owned in partnership by Sartin Racing and S&K Misfit Racing Stables. Jacob Cutting piloted a pair of winners on the matinee card.

Live racing continues on Monday with a President’s Day matinee that begins at 12pm.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Frisco Bay N (Downbytheseaside) sprung a big-time upset in the season’s first Open at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Sunday afternoon. The opening day card featured fourteen races for a cold February matinee which was highlighted by the longshot victory from the Jackie Greene-trained Frisco Bay N. Jacob Cutting sat behind the six year old who was dismissed at odds of 34-1 in the $16,500 Open Pace and marched out to the early lead. Frisco Bay N posted fast fractions of 26.4 and 56.1 in the first half before being confronted by pocket-pulling favorite Vanderbilt N (Ron Cushing). That invader was the 1-4 betting favorite and evacuated the two-hole behind Frisco Bay N who rattled off three-quarters in 1:25.1 while holding off the challenge from the favorite. Those two pacers brought their battle to the stretch but the longshot would not be denied as Frisco Bay N recorded his first career Open victory stopping the timer in 1:54 to best Vanderbilt N by a head. The Good Doctor (Kyle Swift), a nominee for Pacer of the Year at the Spa in ’25, closed to finish third in his seasonal debut. Frisco Bay N is owned by the Kellogg Racing Stables of Queensbury, NY. Jacob Cutting, who piloted the winner, scored a driving double on the Sunday matinee.

Live racing continues on Monday with a 12pm first post.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Rocknroll Runa A scored in the final Open Pace of the season at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Sunday afternoon. Larry Stalbaum owns, trains and drives the eight year old who secured his sixth victory of the year in Sunday’s $18,500 feature behind a powerful first-over move. Rocknroll Runa A won the Open for the second time this season last Sunday and went back-to-back with this week’s score that came in 1:54. Going off at odds of 5-1, Rocknroll Runa A was eighth lengths off the lead at the quarter pole but progressed steadily in the second-half before powering away to win by close to five lengths in the season’s final installment of the Open Pace. Favorable Draw (Shawn Gray) came from well off the pace to be second while Negotiator (Mitch Cushing) earned the show spot in his debut in the local Open. Rocknroll Runa A earned more than $348,000 in 2024 and has followed that monster campaign up with a $114,000+ ’25 season.

Rocknroll Runa A enjoyed a sensational campaign last year for owner/trainer Larry Stalbaum. As a seven year old in 2024, the son of Rock N Roll Heaven amassed just shy of $350,000 in a monster season which saw him as an occasional participant in the local Open Pace at Saratoga Casino Hotel. While not having the same kind of year in ’25, Rocknroll Runa A has again enjoyed a big campaign and on Sunday won the Open Pace for the second time of the year. Stalbaum sat behind his star pacer who blasted off the car and secured an early lead in a 28.2 first quarter. The 5-2 shot in the wagering coasted unopposed through a half in 58.1 and three quarters of 1:26.2 before being met with the challenge of pocket-sitter Favorable Draw (Shawn Gray). That rival, though, came up a half length short in a mile clocked in 1:54.3 in the $18,500 feature. Rocknroll Runa A’s victory was his fifth of the year overall and moved his seasonal earnings to over the $100,000 mark. Favorable Draw was the runner-up while Mach N Cheese (Matt Athearn) earned the show spot.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

CMS Photography photo

With no Open Pace on the card, a $15,000 event for pacers stood as the feature on the Sunday matinee at Saratoga Casino Hotel. A highly competitive race went the way of Hunter Hill and driver Aaron Byron who moved first-over on the favorite who came in riding a three-race win streak. First-half fractions of 27 and 55.4 took their toll on the weary leader and Hunter Hill powered right by approaching the three-quarter pole. The Scott West-trained pacer surged into the lead just past a 1:24.4 panel before surging into a commanding lead around the final turn. Rival Little Willy (Jacob Cutting) followed the Hunter Hill cover and closed sharply in the stretch before coming up a half-length short in a mile clocked in 1:53.4. Mr Huggins (Larry Stalbaum) came on to finish third. Hunter Hill, who is owned by his trainer Scott West, won for the sixth time of the year. He paid $17.86 to win in the upset.

Live racing continues on Monday at Saratoga with a 12pm first post.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Unrivaled Hanover (Bettor’s Delight) scored his sixth Open Pace win of the season at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Sunday. Jackie Greene trains the four year old who recorded his eleventh victory overall in 2025 when he went coast-to-coast in the $18,500 feature for pacers as reinsman Jimmy Devaux put the race’s odds-on favorite on the front-end and they never looked back. Unrivaled Hanover was the 1-4 betting favorite in the Open as he rattled off fractions of 28.1 and 57.3 in the first half before cruising unopposed through three quarters in 1:26. The Greene trainee was asked to crank up the speed around the final turn and his response was instant as the favorite for Pacer of the Year at Saratoga cruised away from his rivals to win by close to three lengths in 1:53.2 over a track labeled ‘sloppy.’ Handlelikeaporsche (Shawn Gray) sat the pocket to the winner and ended up finishing second in his Spa debut while Rocknroll Runa A (Larry Stalbaum) closed to finish third in the Sunday feature. Unrivaled Hanover moved his seasonal earnings to over the $100,000 mark with the win. The up-and-coming star is owned by Kellogg Racing Stables.

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

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Hunting Zone (Huntsville) invaded Saratoga Casino Hotel on Sunday afternoon and the Jeff Cullipher-trained outsider overcame his outside post to record a victory in the $18,500 Open Pace. Brett Beckwith piloted Hunting Zone to a score at Plainridge Park last week and stuck with him for the five year old pacer’s try in the local Open. Hunting Zone left, found good placement in the early going and was kept close to the pace as rival Prairie Rocknroll (Billy Dobson) carved out first-half fractions of 27.3 and 56.3 while stalking the pacesetter from the pocket. Longshot Ahi Sunshine (Jimmy Devaux) swung out of third to test Prairie Rocknroll and those two sparred around the final turn. Once the passing lane opened up, Hunting Zone surged before getting up to win in 1:52.3 on a beautiful fall afternoon in Saratoga Springs. Ahi Sunshine, at odds of 18-1, was the runner-up while Prairie Rocknroll held on for third. Hunting Zone went off at odds of 7-2 in what was his eighth victory of the 2025 campaign. Beckwith piloted the winner for owner Pollack Racing LLC.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Sunday’s matinee at Saratoga Casino Hotel featured a Drivers Challenge for charity. “Young Guns” Brett Beckwith, Mitch Cushing, Jacob Cutting and Matt Athearn got the better of “The Veterans” Wally Hennessey, Mark Beckwith, Chris Long and Jimmy Devaux in the four-race challenge to benefit the Purple Haze Standardbred Adoption Program and Harness Horse Youth Foundation. Although the “old guard” won three of the four races that comprised the challenge, it was the Young Guns who “outpointed” the Vets by a total score of 54-50 as points were awarded to the top five finishers in each race. Brett Beckwith piloted the lone winner in the contest for the Young Guns as he guided Can Am to a decisive victory on Sunday en route to being the top point earner (18) among all the participants. Mitch Cushing was the only driver to record at least one point in all four of the contest races (points were awarded to the top five finishers in each race.) Wally Hennessey led the Veterans with 17 points while Jimmy Devaux and Chris Long joined Hennessey in piloting a winner in the contest. An incredible $48,000 was raised in the charity event which was put on by Jessica Hallett. A big thank you to all those who participated in the event including Hallett, all of the dozens of sponsors and the drivers who took part in the challenge.

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

Talking Tom (Artspeak) went back-to-back in the Open Pace when he pulled off a bit of a Sunday surprise at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Perry Simser-trained pacer won the Open for the first time in 2025 last week (June 22) when he came from well off the pace to pull off a mild upset at odds of 5-1. Leon Bailey guided Talking Tom to that Open score and was back in the sulky on Sunday when the eight year old left to sit the pocket to the favored Natameri (Wally Hennessey). The heavily-backed Natameri carved out sizzling first-half fractions of 26.2 and 56 seconds while being tracked in the two-hole by Talking Tom. Little Willy (Brett Beckwith) chipped away first-over at the lead of Natameri who checked in at three-quarters in 1:24.1. The race was up for grabs turning for home when all five Open participants were within three lengths of the lead. Talking Tom found late racing room in the passing lane and surged up in time to score in 1:53, a time that matched his lifetime mark. Talking Tom, who is owned in partnership by his trainer Perry Simser and Dennis Nye, was the longest shot on the board in the $16,000 feature and paid $21.80 to win in the Open upset. The victory was the third on the season in nine tries for Talking Tom. Natameri was the runner-up while Little Willy hit the board for the fifth consecutive start earning the show spot in the feature.