Saratoga Harness Racing Recap Tuesday 5/13

Little Instigator was the dominant force in the Virginia O’Brien Memorial Pace contested at Saratoga Casino Hotel and on Tuesday afternoon, the three year old completed the Series sweep. Joe Skowyra trains Little Instigator who prevailed in her local debut in April before heading into the O’Brien Memorial. The sophomore rattled off three consecutive victories in the legs of the Series, each when backed to odds of 1-9, and subsequently was heavily backed once again by the betting public for her try in the $31,400 Final. Aaron Byron piloted Little Instigator who was forced to change tactics this week and sat the pocket behind upset-minded leg two and three winner Bobby Mcgee (Leon Bailey) who set sizzling fractions on the engine on Tuesday. After the first half went in 55 seconds, Little Instigator popped the pocket past three quarters in 1:23.4 before pacing past to win by three quarters of a length in a career-best clocking of 1:54.3. J Glo (Jimmy Devaux) came on to finish second while longshot Cindy’s Faith closed to be third. Bobby Mcgee faded late to finish fourth in the Final. Little Instigator, who is owned by William and Sarah McMillan of Maryland, became the tenth winner of the O’Brien Memorial since the Series began back in 2015.

Live racing resumes on Sunday afternoon with a first post time of 12pm.

Saratoga Harness Racing Recap Tuesday 5/6

SS Superstar kept her local winning streak alive on Tuesday at Saratoga Casino Hotel when the Larry Stalbaum trained and driven four-year-old parlayed her pocket ride to victory in the feature for the ladies. SS Superstar won five consecutive races at the Spa before a two-race stint at Yonkers which included another victory. The rising star out of the Stalbaum stable drew post seven in the seven-horse Fillies and Mares Open on Tuesday but left hard to get the two-hole trip behind leader Iron Mistress (Jimmy Devaux). Iron Mistress, who was the runner-up in her debut in the local feature last week, carved out first-half fractions of 27.2 and 57.3 before pacing three quarters in 1:26.3. SS Superstar found open road in the passing lane in the stretch and motored home to prevail in 1:55.2 over a track labeled sloppy. Iron Mistress was the runner-up in the feature for the second straight week while Alittlesidehustl N (Billy Dobson) came on to finish third. SS Superstar, who is owned by Shark Racing Stable, paid $4.50 as the 6-5 betting favorite on Tuesday. The victory was her sixth straight locally and eighth all together in 2025.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Saratoga Harness Racing Recap Tuesday, 4/29

Arizona won the Fillies and Mares Open for the third time of the season on Tuesday afternoon at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Melissa Beckwith trainee was named Filly and Mare Pacer of the Year in 2024 and has once again established herself as the top lady distaffer in the early stages of the ’25 campaign at the Spa. Arizona did it the hard way on Tuesday as she attempted to leave to overcome her outside post. The six year old got parked the mile but fought gamely on the outside throughout. The gutsy mare got the better of her rivals when she stopped the timer in 1:55.1 for her fourth win of the season and third in the local feature for the ladies. Iron Mistress (Jimmy Devaux) was the runner-up in her first try in the local Open while Blue Glamber (Aaron Byron) earned the show spot. Arizona, who is owned by Wendy Timpano, paid $3.30 to win. She was one of two winners on the card for the Beckwith stable and one of three on the day for Hall of Famer reinsman Wally Hennessey.

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

Saratoga Harness Racing Recap Tuesday, 4/22

Kingpin Hanover (E L Titan) toughed out a first-over victory in Tuesday’s $16,000 Open Trot at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Jody Riedel trains the five year old who was making just his third start of the season following a win in a lower level condition race. Drawing post five in his return to the Open, Kingpin Hanover wound up first-over in a race that saw In A Tiny Way (Aaron Byron) brush to the lead after a first half that went in 1:00.2. Yucatan Party Man (Jordan Derue) had been posting the first-half fractions when he was confronted and subsequently bypassed by In A Tiny Way as the feature’s lone lady took command until being challenged by Kingpin Hanover in the final quarter of the mile. Kingpin Hanover reigned supreme as he stopped the timer in 1:57.3 following a strong back-half while grinding it out first-over. In A Tiny Way was the runner-up while Yucatan Party Man held third. Kingpin Hanover, who was backed by the betting public as the 5-2 favorite, paid $7.90 to win.

Live racing continues on Wednesday at Saratoga with a first post time set for 12pm. There is a Pick Five carryover of $4,508 featured on Wednesday’s card with the Pick Five beginning in the afternoon’s first race.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Saratoga Harness Racing Recap Tuesday 4/15

SS Superstar rode a four race win streak into her debut in the Open at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Tuesday. Larry Stalbaum sat behind his trainee who drew the rail in the $16,000 Fillies and Mares feature. SS Superstar powered out from her inside post and clicked off a first quarter in 27.1 before yielding to rival Alittlesidehustl N (Billy Dobson) who was last week’s Open winner. That 9-5 second-choice in the wagering led most of the way before facing a two-pronged attack in the stretch. SS Superstar closed sharply in the lane before getting up to win in 1:55.3. The favorite Arizona (Wally Hennessey) closed to be second while Alittlesidehustl N held on for third. SS Superstar paid $7.90 to win in what was her fifth straight victory and sixth on the 2025 campaign. The winner, who now has fourteen victories in thirty career starts, is owned by Shark Racing Stable of Bainbridge, NY.

Live racing continues on Wednesday with a 12pm start to the matinee.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Saratoga Harness Racing Recap Tuesday, 4/8

Trainer Jackie Greene and driver Billy Dobson scored a feature win at Saratoga Casino Hotel for the second consecutive afternoon when on Tuesday their Alittlesidehustl N parlayed a pocket ride to victory. Greene and Dobson teamed up for the winner of Monday’s feature as Busting With Pride who pulled off the upset in the Open Trot. On Tuesday, Alittlesidehustl N was the 9-5 betting favorite for her try in the $16,000 Fillies and Mares Open. Dobson made it to the lead with the seven year old mare who came up just shy of reaching the six-figure mark in earnings in 2024. Once Alittlesidehustl N got to the front-end, she was confronted by rival Violets Rainbow (Brett Beckwith) who was aggressive in pursuit of the lead. Violets Rainbow backed it down in the second quarter to reach the half in 57.3 before checking in at three-quarters in 1:26.3 while bracing for Alittlesidehustl N who was biding her time in the two-hole. Dobson popped the pocket around the final turn and the Greene trained roared past her rival in the stretch to score in 1:56.2. Violets Rainbow was a strong second in the ladies’ feature while longshot Truly (Leon Bailey) earned the show spot. Alittlesidehustl N’s win was her second in the Open this season. She is owned by Kellogg Racing and Jackie Greene Stables.

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

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Saratoga Harness Racing Recap Tuesday, 4/1

Laurie Lee recorded her second win in the Fillies and Mares Open this season at Saratoga Casino Hotel when on Tuesday afternoon, the Peter Pellegrino trainee pulled off the mild upset. Laurie Lee left from post seven to make the lead in the $15,000 feature for the ladies with Jimmy Devaux in the sulky. Just two weeks removed from a wire-to-wire score in the Open, Laurie Lee posted her second ’25 victory in the feature when she held off a late bid from the race’s favorite Waitforever N (Brett Beckwith) to prevail in 1:55.1. Laurie Lee finished second in the start in between her March 11th win and her Tuesday score that came at odds of 7-1. Waitforever N was the runner-up in the Open while Lady Saturn (Brett Crawford) earned the show spot. Laurie Lee, who is owned by June Hamerla of Georgia, now owns four wins on the season.

Live racing continues on Wednesday afternoon with a noon start to the matinee.

Saratoga Harness Racing Recap Tuesday, 3/25

Trainer Rob Harmon and driver Jay Randall swept the featured races on Tuesday afternoon at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Harmon trainees Racy Roxy A and Quarrel each scored victories in their races on ladies day at the Spa. Racy Roxy A was a four-time winner of the Fillies and Mares Open at Saratoga last season and secured her first win in the $15,000 feature this year when she parlayed her pocket ride to a 1:53.4 score on Tuesday. Randall sat patiently with Racy Roxy A behind the favored Alittlesidehustl N (Billy Dobson) as that top-flight distaffer carved out fractions of 27.1, 56.2 and 1:24.4 in the Open before pulling the two-hole turning for home. Racy Roxy A paid $10.20 to win in what was her third score in four starts in 2025. Racy Roxy A is owned by Mike Casalino Jr.

Harmon completed his double when class-dropping Quarrel (Always B Miki) sprung the mild upset in the $13,500 Winners Over for fillies and mares on Tuesday. The six-year-old mare hit the board in her first two starts competing in the Open at Saratoga but dropped down in company for Tuesday’s try. Just like he did in the feature with Racy Roxy A, Randall got Quarrel a pocket trip on Tuesday, a journey she utilized to her favor en route to a 1:55.1 score to complete a double for her trainer and driver. Quarrel, who is owned by Karma Racing Inc, paid $12.80 to win in the mild upset.

Live racing continues on Wednesday at Saratoga with a fifteen-race card that will kickoff at 12pm.

Saratoga Harness Racing Recap Tuesday, 3/11

Laurie Lee (Royel Millennium) made her return to Saratoga Casino Hotel a winning one on Tuesday afternoon when the Peter Pellegrino-trained mare went coast-to-coast in the matinee’s feature. Laurie Lee competed in the Fillies and Mares Open at the Spa last season and enjoyed some success. The eight-year-old mare drew the rail for her Tuesday try in the $15,000 Open for distaffers. Reinsman Jimmy Devaux wanted the lead at all costs and turned back an early bid from a rival to secure the front-end in a sizzling first quarter that went in 26.3. The tempo remained hot on a warmer March afternoon in the Spa City as Laurie Lee checked in at the half in 55.3 and remained unopposed while rattling off three quarters in 1:24.3. The veteran opened up a lead that would prove to be insurmountable in the stretch before she stopped the timer in 1:53.3, a clocking that marked the fastest for any horse on the still young season at the Spa. Co-favored Quarrel (Jay Randall) was the runner-up to Laurie Lee while Magical Maya A (Matt Athearn) finished third despite being parked the mile in the feature. Laurie Lee paid $8.90 to win in the mild upset. The winner is owned by June Hamerla of Georgia.

 

Saratoga Harness Racing Recap Tuesday, 3/4

Brett Beckwith wrapped up a sweep of the Opens this week at Saratoga Casino Hotel when on Tuesday afternoon, the track’s top reinsman piloted Arizona (Up The Credit) to another feature score. After guiding The Good Doctor and Snowpiercer to Open wins in the previous two days, Beckwith sat behind the track’s defending award winner for Filly and Mare Pacer of the Year Arizona who was assigned post position seven in the $15,000 Open. The talented distaffer marched out to the early lead in the ladies’ feature and rattled off first-half fractions of 28 seconds and 57.3 before opening up an insurmountable lead in the Open and prevailing by a measured length. Pocket-sitter Waitforever N (Aaron Byron) was the runner-up to Arizona on Tuesday while longshot Quarrel (Jay Randall) came on for third. Arizona, who is owned by Wendy Timpano, was one of seven winners on the day for Brett Beckwith who is enjoying another sensational start to his season at the Spa. The 22 year old’s mother Melissa trains Arizona in addition to four other winners on the matinee card en route to a training five-bagger. Arizona’s Open score was her second in three starts the Spa in 2025.

Live racing continues on Wednesday with a matinee that kicks off at Noon.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo