Circuit Party is in the midst of a career year and on Friday night, the five year old extended his win streak to five by prevailing in the Open Trot. Wally Hennessey drove for trainer Dan Cappello Jr. as Circuit Party drew post eight for Friday’s try against the track’s top trotters. Hennessey was aggressive pulling the son of Donato Hanover approaching the opening quarter and raced almost the entire mile on the outside.

Coming in on a four-race win streak and as a winner of the Open for the first time last week (Aug 18), Circuit Party put the swoop to the group in the $18,200 feature getting the better of rival Duckdodgendive (Brett Beckwith) in the stretch.

In victory, Circuit Party became just the third high-stepper to win the Open in back-to-back tries in 2023. Duckdodgendive, who won his first career Open last month, was a strong second on Friday while Special Prosecutor (Jimmy Devaux) earned the show spot to hit the board for the third consecutive start in the local Open. Circuit Party paid $8.30 to win in a race that was evenly bet.

The exacta and triple in the feature returned $42 and $170, respectively. The win for Circuit Party was his tenth of the season in twenty three starts. With the earnings from his Friday score, the rising trotting star boosted his career earnings to over the $100,000 mark for owner Lisa Unltd LLC of Schenectady, NY who recently acquired the up-and-coming trotter.

Live racing continues on Saturday evening at Saratoga with a first post time set for 6:45pm.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Jessica Hallett

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

Summit City Sonny (Dover Dan) hasn’t lost a race at Saratoga Casino Hotel since mid-February and the Jesse McAssey-trained trotter extended that win streak on Sunday afternoon. He prevailed in his first ever try in the local Open when on March 19th, the four year old sprung the upset in the Sunday feature.

Following a two-race stint at Yonkers, it was back to the Spa on Sunday for the McAssey stable star who again was fairly ignored by the betting public who dismissed him at odds of 9-1. Leon Bailey is the regular driver for Summit City Sonny who flashed speed in the $17,000 Open Trot to wind up in the pocket behind the race’s longshot Xcuseme (John Stark Jr).

Summit City Sonny kept the leader in his sights every step up of the way before sliding out around the final turn to take on Xcuseme before ultimately powering past him to record a decisive three-plus length score in the feature. The final time of 1:55.1 marks a new career-best win time for Summit City Sonny who is co-owned by Jesse McAssey and Adam Friedland.

He paid $20.80 to win in the upset. Big Box Hanover came charging hard late to win a photo for place and complete a $90.50 exacta while Xcuseme earned the show spot in what was a $752 trifecta.

Live racing continues on Monday afternoon at Saratoga with a first post time of noon. There will be a carryover of $3,386 in the Pick Five that starts in the matinee’s first race.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Jessica Hallett

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

Big Box Hanover (Uncle Peter) was one of the winningest horses in the Open Trot at Saratoga Casino Hotel in 2022. The Larry Stalbaum-owned and trained high-stepper, who recorded another six-figure campaign last year, drew post eight for his most recent try against the track’s top trotters on Sunday’s matinee at the Spa. Big Box Hanover hit the board in his first three local tries this year including one victory in the Open but wound up as the longest shot on the board in the $17,000 dismissed at odds of 27-1 after making a break last week. Young reinsman Matt Athearn got away last with Big Box Hanover who remained the race’s back-marker until the 5/8 pole when the field bunched up after the first half went in a fast 56.2. The race was up for grabs heading to three quarters as the classy Stalbaum trainee continued to progress little by little. Big Box Hanover was still fifth at the top of the stretch but his tenacious pursuit didn’t end there and didn’t stop until he hit the wire first in 1:56.4 to spring the big upset. Dewey Arnold (Jimmy Devaux) dealt with traffic trouble throughout the mile and ended up as the runner-up to Big Box Hanover who paid $57.00 to win in the Open shocker. Dewey Arnold completed a $249.50 exacta while Yes (Brett Beckwith) finished third in his local debut to complete a $3,291 triple. The six year old Big Box Hanover moved over the half million dollar mark in lifetime earnings a few weeks ago and on Sunday recorded his 37^th career win in 107 starts.

Live racing continues on Monday afternoon at Saratoga and will feature a carryover of $4,648 in the early Pick Five which begins in race one on the matinee card. First post time is noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Jessica Hallett

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

Abruzzo (Walner) won the Open Trot at Saratoga Casino Hotel for the first time on Sunday afternoon to complete a double for his connections. The four year old trotter, who made his Spa debut last fall when he joined the stable of trainer Kevin McDermott, has been a force in his limited local starts. On Sunday, he wound up drawing post position two for his second start in the Open and first this season. Young reinsman Brett Beckwith wasted no time moving Abruzzo out to the early lead in the $17,000 feature, a lead he would never relinquish. Abruzzo cruised untested through a first half of 58 seconds and appeared comfortable throughout the mile before stopping the timer in 1:55.4 to record the Open score. Pocket-sitter Home’n Dry (Billy Dobson) finished second while Big Box Hanover (Matt Athearn) lengthened his “on the board” streak to five when he earned the show spot in Sunday’s feature. Abruzzo was the 9-5 betting favorite in his first Open score and led an exacta and triple that paid $68 and $212.50, respectively. The other star trotter out of McDermott’s stable also prevailed on Sunday as Reign Of Honor took advantage of dropping out of the Open by scoring in the $14,500 Winners Over for trotters. The victory was the first of the season for the 2022 Trotter of the Year nominee who like stablemate Abruzzo is owned by Randy Zane of Quebec, Canada. Brett Beckwith piloted both McDermott trainees to their Sunday scores.

Live racing continues on Monday afternoon at Saratoga with a President’s Day matinee that begins at noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Jessica Hallett

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

Big Box Hanover (Uncle Peter) was a nominee for Trotter of the Year at Saratoga Casino Hotel in 2022 after the classy high-stepper enjoyed a six-figure campaign by way of four victories in the local Open Trot. Larry Stalbaum owns, trains and drives the now six year old who drew post seven for his try in the first Open Trot of the ’23 season on Sunday afternoon.

Big Box Hanover came into the start off a win in the Batavia Open just a few weeks back and on Sunday, Stalbaum wasted little time powering his barn’s top trotter out to the front end. After enjoying a comfortable first half that was clocked in 58.4, they were met with the challenge of pocket-pulling rival Grinder (Leon Bailey). That one put in a brief bid but came up short as Big Box Hanover prevailed in 1:58.1 to record the victory in the first Open for trotters. Grinder came up second-best while Reign Of Honor (Brett Beckwith) earned the show spot in the $17,000 feature.

Big Box Hanover, the morning line favorite, paid $10 to win and led an exacta and triple that returned $136 and $1,027, respectively.

Live racing continues on Monday afternoon with a matinee that begins at noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

On a weekend in which Gigfy (Broadway Hall) was announced as a nominee for the Trotter of the Year Award at Saratoga Casino Hotel, the Brian Mattison trainee recorded his third Open win of the season. Gigfy drew the rail for his try in the $16,000 Open Trot and took full advantage of his inside post to cut the mile in the feature.

The eight year old high-stepper cruised unopposed through a first half of 58.4 and held strong in the race’s back-half before stopping the timer in 1:56.4 for the third Open score in his ’22 campaign. Innisfallen (Jordan Derue) sat the pocket and finished second while the favored Angel Nation (Brett Beckwith) came on to be third. Gigfy was piloted by Alek Chartrand and was dismissed at odds of 9-1, paying $21.40 for win. The exacta and triple returned $160 and $616.

Gigfy is owned by Gerald D’Allessandro of Ocala, FL and Bridgette Mattison of Watervliet, NY. Gigfy now has earnings of over $97,000 in what has been a terrific season for the veteran trotter in a season that has resulted in him being named one of five nominees for the track’s top honor for trotters.

Live racing continues on Monday afternoon with a matinee that starts at noon. | Saratoga Springs, New York

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser

Big Box Hanover (Uncle Peter) has been a solid force in the Open Trot at Saratoga Casino Hotel since coming to town last year. This season, the Larry Stalbaum trainee has been a picture of consistency and came into Sunday’s try in the feature with three Open wins to his credit this year but while finishing in the top three in 21 of his 31 starts in ’22.

Big Box Hanover finished second or third in four consecutive starts in the Open before drawing his best post in months on Sunday afternoon. The five year old wound up being the betting public’s 3-5 favorite in the $16,000 Open and Stalbaum flashed speed from post four with the talented trotter. Yielding in the early going to Majestic Fire (Luke Hanners), Big Box Hanover sat the pocket in a first lap that went in 58 seconds.

Majestic Fire, who won the Open two weeks ago, was in complete control through three quarters in 1:26.2 but Big Box Hanover popped the pocket around the final turn. Longshot Quadratic Bluechip (Chris Long) came surging up the rail in the stretch but it was Big Box Hanover who hit the wire first to register his fourth Open score of the season and eighth victory overall in the ’22 campaign. An earner of six figures for the third consecutive year, Big Box Hanover’s fourth Open win came in 1:56.1 on Sunday.

The Open winner is owned by the Red, White and Blue Racing Stable of Matamoras, PA. Quadratic Blue Chip was the runner-up on Sunday to complete a $20.40 exacta while Majestic Fire wrapped up the $95 triple in the feature.

Live racing continues on Monday afternoon at Saratoga with a matinee that begins at noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser

Innisfallen and driver Jordan Derue won Sunday’s open trot in 1:57.2. The 6 year old by Explosive Matter is trained by Brett Derue.

Live racing at Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

Majestic Fire (Majestic Son) moved up into the Open Trot on Sunday afternoon at Saratoga Casino Hotel following an eleven-length romp last weekend in his first start for trainer David Yates. He posted a dazzling 1:55.3 last Sunday (Nov 6) but drew post six for Sunday’s try in the $16,000 feature. Luke Hanners piloted the David Yates trainee to his impressive score and sat behind him once again this week.

The young reinsman asked the seven year old trotter for early speed and when they couldn’t find an early landing spot drove on to the lead. Majestic Fire posted fast fractions of 28 and 57 seconds in the first half before clicking off three-quarters in 1:25.3. Although he had built a big lead, Majestic Fire was under Hanners urging turning for home as he seemed to be tiring a bit. The red-hot trotter had enough to hang on to win by a half length in a mile clocked in 1:56 for his first Open Trot victory.

Owned by Josh Cukerstein of Halfmoon, NY, Majestic Fire paid $9.50 in the mild Open upset and led an exacta with Grinder (Jimmy Devaux) second that returned $58. The favored Big Box Hanover (Larry Stalbaum) came on to finish third and complete a $184 triple. Majestic Fire gave Hanners one of his three winners on the Sunday card.

Live racing continues on Monday afternoon with a matinee starting at noon. There is a $2,967 carryover in the Pick Five which begins in the Monday opener. The Pick Five is a 50 cent wager.

Saratoga Springs, New York

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser

Angel Nation and driver Brett Beckwith won Sunday’s open trot in 1:55.2 Angel Nation is trained by Melissa Beckwith.

Saratoga Casino Hotel, Saratoga Springs, New York

Melissa Simser