City Of Hope (Met’s Hall) sprung the upset in Sunday’s feature at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Dave Dewhurst-trained trotter is in the midst of a breakout season in which he came into the day with earnings of over $130,000. The three year old raced in the local Open Trot for the first time last Sunday (Nov 5) but faded late after cutting the mile in the $15,000 feature.

This week, driver Jimmy Devaux got a pocket trip for City Of Hope who rode the coattails of millionaire trotter Cash Me Out (Mitch Cushing) who cut the mile in the feature. With the top few betting choices never factoring, longshots Cash Me Out and City Of Hope slugged it out late getting joined in the stretch by Bluffinner (Jordan Derue). At the wire, it was City Of Hope emerging victorious springing the upset at odds of 12-1. The veteran Cash Me Out finished second while Bluffinner earned the show spot.

City Of Hope paid $27.60 to win in the feature and led an exacta and triple that returned $160 and $569, respectively. Trainer Dave Dewhurst co-owns the young trotter with Philip Hale of Utica, NY. The victory was number fourteen for City Of Hope in his breakout sophomore campaign.

Live racing continues on Monday afternoon with a first post time set for noon.

Mike Sardella

Jessica Hallett photo

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

For the second consecutive week at Saratoga Casino Hotel, Pay Me To Knight reigned supreme going last to first in the Open Trot. Doug Maura trains and drives the five year old who is in the midst of a sensational season at the Spa. Pay Me To Knight got away eighth in the eight-horse Open on Sunday and although the fractions were fast, coming from last appeared that it would be a daunting task. Maura gave Pay Me To Knight his cue heading to the three-quarter pole and just wheeled him four-wide around the final turn.

Picking off his rivals one by one in the stretch, Pay Me To Knight charged past the field to win a photo in a mile clocked in 1:57.2. Last Sunday (Oct 29), Maura’s rising star was dismissed at odds of 14-1 when he won the Open for the second time this season. This week, Pay Me To Knight paid $18 to win in yet another upset.

Yucatan Party Man (Billy Dobson) finished second in the $15,000 feature while By The Book (Jay Randall) earned the show spot. The exacta and triple returned $91 and $273, respectively. Pay Me To Knight, who is owned by Louis Maura of Schenectady, NY, now owns three Open wins this season.

Live racing continues on Monday afternoon.

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York