Wishing Barefoot (Wishing Stone) won the Open Trot for the first time this season when on Thursday evening, the Scott Mongeon trainee parlayed his pocket ride to an upset victory. Mongeon teamed up with fellow Saratoga Harness Hall of Famer Brian Cross who sat behind Wishing Barefoot as he rode the coattails of longshot leader Gigfy (Alek Chartrand). Gigfy cruised unopposed through a first half in 57.3 and felt very little pressure until coming to the top of the stretch when Cross tipped Wishing Barefoot out of the two-hole. The Mongeon trainee roared past the longtime leader to take command mid-stretch and draw away to win by a length and a quarter, stopping the timer in 1:56.3 for his third win of the 2024 campaign. Gigfy was second at odds of 11-1 while the favored Pay Me To Knight (Doug Maura) was late on the scene to finish third. Wishing Barefoot paid $19.80 to win in the upset and led an exacta and triple that returned $136.50 and $524, respectively. The winner is owned in partnership by Chuck Harrison and Fred Barthelmas both of New York.

Live racing continues on Friday evening with a first post time of 5pm.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Bluffinner sprung the big time upset in the Thursday feature at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Jordan Derue drives, trains and co-owns the seven year old trotter who earned over $100,000 in 2023. On Thursday night, Bluffinner drew post four for his try in the $15,000 Open Trot. Derue flashed a little bit of early speed with his stable’s trotting star to land him in third in the early going in a race which saw its first lap trotted in 57.2 over a track labeled ‘sloppy.’ Bluffinner made his move heading to the three-quarter pole and he wasted very little time in overpowering the weary leader before taking off to open up an insurmountable lead around the final turn. Discus Hanover (Jimmy Devaux) slid out of the pocket behind the leader and came on to take over second in the stretch but posed little threat to Bluffinner who trotted away to prevail by almost three lengths in a mile clocked in 1:56.4. Discus Hanover secured the second spot while the favored Echo De Meautis FR (Brett Beckwith) came on late to finish third while backed at odds of 6-5. Bluffinner’s win was his fifth in the ’24 campaign but just his first in the Open Trot after enjoying success in the local feature for trotters last year. Bluffinner paid $51.50 in Thursday’s upset score and led an exacta and triple that returned $105 and $984, respectively. The Open winner is owned in partnership by Jordan Derue and the FBP Racing Stable.

Live racing continues on Friday evening with a first post time of 5pm.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo