There were eight New York Sire Stakes Excelsior Series Finals that served as co-features on the Tuesday card at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Jason Bartlett, who was the star of the show at Batavia on the Night of Champions last weekend, once again was the top dog among reinsman in the Excelsior Finals on Tuesday. Bartlett piloted three of the eight winners of the $100,000 per division Finals as he guided youngsters Two Twenty Swift (two-year-old filly pace), Elqueen (two-year-old filly trot) and Southwind Iron (two-year-old colt pace) to victories in their respective Finals. Bartlett, who won four of the NY Sire Stakes championships on Saturday night, has been the most dominant force in the NYSS circuit over the course of the last several years and continued to thrive this week.

Other winners among the NYSS Excelsior Finals were Mane Man Charlie (Jimmy Devaux), who upset at odds of 17-1 in the three year old colt and gelding trot, EL Nightwish (Matt Kakaley) in the three year old filly trot, Rubens (Dan Daley) in the two year old colt and gelding trot, Time To Strike (Matt Kakaley) in the three year old filly pace and Ima Perfect Choice (Brett Beckwith) who scored in the three year old colt and gelding pace. There was one winner in the matinee’s Pick Five which featured a carryover of just shy of $3,500. The one winning ticket was good for $20,495.63 on a 50-cent wager.

Live racing resumes on Sunday with a matinee that starts at 12pm. The card will feature a Drivers Challenge which pits “The Veterans” Jimmy Devaux, Mark Beckwith, Chris Long and Wally Hennessey against “Young Guns” Matt Athearn, Mitch Cushing, Jacob Cutting and Brett Beckwith in a points-based contest for charity.

Trainer Gary Levine enjoyed a big afternoon on Tuesday at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The conditioner who was the Trainer of the Year at the Spa back in 2020 ranks inside the top five in the trainer standings again this season and on Tuesday had one of his best days of the meet. Levine’s In A Wink N (Bettor’s Delight) got his day started on the right note when the five-year-old overcame post position eight to spring the upset in a $12,000 pacing event for fillies and mares. In A Wink N set a lifetime mark earlier in the month while making her debut out of the Levine stable and stayed red hot on Tuesday securing an upset at odds of 8-1 after overcoming a first-over journey. Levine went on to win three races on the matinee card when his Always B Praying and Tommy In The Sky each recorded their first local victories. Jimmy Devaux sat behind all three of Levine’s winners on Tuesday.

Live racing takes a brief hiatus and will resume on Sunday September 7^th with a first post time of 12pm.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett – stock photo

Waitforever N (American Ideal) won the local Fillies and Mares Open Pace for the first time back in June. Brett Derue trains the eight year old who went on to rattled off three consecutive victories in the ladies’ Open before heading out of town to win the Batavia feature in late July. Waitforever N returned to the Spa on Tuesday to take part in the $18,500 Open for distaffers and drew post four for the task. The New Zealand invader powered out to the early lead while under the control of reinsman Aaron Byron and after motoring through a first quarter in 27.1, backed it down to reach the half in 57.1. Rival Twin B Echo (Jimmy Devaux) moved first-over on the 3-2 betting favorite and gave the leader something to think about while checking in at three-quarters in 1:25.4. Those two battled it out and it took all the favorite had to hold off a game Twin B Echo to prevail by a head. The fourth score in the local Open for Waitforever N came in 1:54.1. Paying $5.00 to win, Waitforever N led an exacta that returned $20.20 while the triple with invader Cruise Alert (Cory Stratton) third came back $91. Waitforever N gave owners Steve Picarazzi and Brett Derue two winners on the card as their American Tour N also recorded a Tuesday victory. Waitforever N is owned in partnership by Picarazzi, Derue and Donny Bullard.

Live racing resumes on Saturday evening with action beginning at 6:45pm. There will be a mandatory payout in the Jackpot Super High 5. The carryover pool stands at $21,449.07

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Arizona won the Fillies and Mares Open for the seventh time of the season at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Tuesday. The Melissa Beckwith trainee has been the consistent force in the ladies’ Open for the last couple of years and continued her dominance of local distaffers in the $18,500 Tuesday feature. Arizona flashed early speed in the Open and after setting sail for the front-end in the early going cruised through a first lap in 57 seconds with Hall of Fame reinsman Wally Hennessey at the controls. The 6-5 betting favorite’s first challenge came from invader Easy To Please (Cory Stratton) who chipped away at the Arizona lead before drawing on even terms with her in the stretch. Arizona dug in and got the better of Easy To Please in the final strides to hold on and score in 1:53.3 to win by a nose. Easy To Please was a strong second in her local debut while Alittlesidehustl N (Billy Dobson) closed to finish third. Arizona’s victory was her eighth of the year and seventh in the local Fillies and Mares Open. With the earnings from her Tuesday score, the six year old moved over the $300,000 mark in career bankroll. Arizona, last year’s Filly and Mare Pacer of the Year at Saratoga, is owned by Wendy Timpano.

Live racing resumes on Saturday evening with a 6:45pm first post. There is a $19,034 carryover in the Jackpot High 5.

Hall of Fame driver Wally Hennessey added another milestone to his tally on Tuesday afternoon at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The incredible career of the 67 year old reinsman has resulted in him being tenth on the all-time wins list in harness racing history. Hennessey came into the Tuesday card with 11,999 career driving victories and the standout sulky star wasted little time reaching the 12,000 win plateau as he guided the Eve Bergeron-trained JK Party to a resounding victory in the matinee’s opener. The 1-9 shot JK Party aired in the first race propelling Wally to the 12,000 win mark which is rarified air for drivers as he becomes only the tenth pilot in history to eclipse that number. Hennessey wasted little time in his pursuit of 13,000 as he completed a sweep of the early double on the card with claiming pacer Maggie Bell. Hennessey, who has been a force in New York State in addition to being the dominant driver at Pompano Park in Florida for decades, is a member of five different Halls of Fame. Hennessey currently sits third in the driver standings at the Spa this season.

Live racing resumes on Saturday evening with a 6:45pm first post

Alittlesidehustl N (He’s Watching) has been the solid force in the Fillies and Mares Open at Saratoga Casino Hotel over the last couple of years. The Jackie Greene trainee has consistently hit the board in her starts against the track’s top distaffers in the last few seasons and on Tuesday found a spot to make the lead. Billy Dobson set sail early with Alittlesidehustl N was cruised out to the lead in a 27.3 first quarter before trying to back it down a bit reaching the half in 56.4. The favorite Arizona (Wally Hennessey) revved up the engine from the back of the pack but had a long climb to try and reach Alittlesidehustl N who rattled off three quarters in 1:24.4. Arizona got to within about a length of the lead before Alittlesidehustl N went pedal to the metal and expanded her lead around the final turn before pacing out to win in 1:53.1 by four lengths. Longshot Jive Dancing A (Jimmy Devaux) sat the pocket to the winner and finished as the runner-up in the Open for the second consecutive week while Arizona earned the show spot. Alittlesidehustl N’s win was her fifth of the campaign and came in a seasonal-best clocking of 1:53.1 for owners Kellogg Racing and Jackie Greene Stables. As the 8-5 second-choice in the wagering, she paid $5.40 to win and led an exacta and triple that returned $41.60 and $75.50, respectively.

Live racing resumes on Saturday evening with a star-studded fourteen race program highlighted by the $250,000 Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial Pace. First post time is 6:45pm on Saturday.

The track’s defending Filly and Mare Pacer of the Year won her fifth local Open of the 2025 campaign on Tuesday afternoon at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Arizona was named the top distaffer at the Spa in ’24 and is enjoying another big year thus far. The Melissa Beckwith trainee came into Tuesday’s feature with four wins in local Opens this season and was tasked with overcoming post position seven in the seven-horse feature on Tuesday. Wally Hennessey was out and rolling early on with Arizona who raced parked the mile before overpowering her rivals to win in 1:54.1. Jive Dancing A (Jimmy Devaux) got the pocket trip and shook free late to finish second while longshot Alta Madeira N (Jay Randall) held on for third. Arizona, who was the 4-5 betting favorite in the Open, now owns six victories in the ’25 season and 35 in 90 career starts. Hennessey piloted four winners on the Tuesday card.

Live racing resumes on Saturday evening at Saratoga with a 6:45pm first post.

Waitforever N continued her recent Tuesday dominance this week when the Brett Derue trainee overcame post position eight to prevail in the Fillies and Mares Open for the third consecutive time. The eight year old distaffer recorded her first victory in a local Open when she scored in 1:52.4 in the $16,000 ladies’ feature on June 11^th. Waitforever N wasted little time in making another trip to the winner’s circle when she repeated in the feature the following week. On Tuesday, the Derue-trained veteran had Hall of Fame reinsman Wally Hennessey at the controls as she looked to navigate her way from post eight while seeking her third consecutive victory. Waitforever N raced parked the mile while longshot leader Always Watching (Jordan Derue) set fractions of 27.1, 56 and 1:25.1 through three quarters. At that point, Waitforever N tipped three-wide under Hennessey urging before swooping the group to score in 1:54.3 paying $11.80 to win. Always Watching was a strong second while Alittlesidehustl N (Billy Dobson) continued her consistent season by finishing third in the Open. Waitforever N is owned by Picarazzi, Derue and Bullard who had their Dark Eclipse N (Leon Bailey) prevail on Tuesday’s card. Derue completed a training grand slam on the matinee when American Tour N and Delta Three N went coast-to-coast in their respective races for fillies and mares on a day where New Zealand invaders accounted for all four of the Derue stable’s wins.

Live racing resumes on Saturday evening at Saratoga with action set to begin at 6:45pm.

Waitforever N (American Ideal) went back-to-back in the Fillies and Mares Open when the Brett Derue-trained distaffer toughed-out an overland journey to score in Tuesday’s feature at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Wally Hennessey sat behind Waitforever N for the first time and didn’t waste much time pulling the eight year old to the outside. The veteran pacer rode on the rim for the entire mile but gained ground at every pole before coming on to win in 1:54.2. Arizona (Chris Long) got away last in the $16,000 Open and closed steadily before coming on to be the runner-up to the two-time Open winner. The favorite Alittlesidehustl N (Billy Dobson) got shuffled back before shaking loose late in the mile to finish third. Waitforever N, who is owned by Picarazzi, Derue and Bullard, gave her trainer a double on the card and served as one of five winners on the matinee for Wally Hennessey. She paid $8.00 to win in a start that saw her career earnings move over the $350,000 mark.

Live racing resumes on Sunday at Saratoga with a matinee set to begin at Noon.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Trainer Jackie Greene secured her second Open win of the week at Saratoga Casino Hotel when on Tuesday afternoon her Alittlesidehustl N (He’s Watching) scored her fourth victory of the season in the Fillies and Mares Open. Alittlesidehustl N was involved in an early speed duel in Tuesday’s feature and dealt with parked out rivals in a first lap that saw fractions of 27.2 and 55.2. The Greene trainee rebuffed challenges from two out-of-towners while holding the inside advantage on them. The race’s biggest longshots Alta Madeira N (Jay Randall) and Turn On The Charm (Bruce Clarke) made charges home in the stretch to finish second and third, respectively, to Alittlesidehustl N who stopped the timer in 1:54 and sprung the mild upset at odds of 4-1. The Kellogg Racing Stables co-own Alittlesidehustl N with Jackie Greene Stables to give them their second Open score of the week as their Unrivaled Hanover prevailed in the Sunday afternoon feature. Alittlesidehustl N paid $10.60 to win and led an exacta and triple that returned $210.50 and $666, respectively (on $2 wagers). Billy Dobson piloted Alittlesidehustl N to her Tuesday score who came by the slimmest of margins.

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