Sunday’s open trot at Saratoga saw a very tight finish but was won by semi-longshot Quadratic Bluechip (trainer Lisa Zabielski) and driver Chris Long. After getting away and sitting third up until the stretch the 6year-old by Muscle Hill was able to find his way through the field to win in 1:55.4 by a head.

Big Box Hanover (Larry Stalbaum) came on late and trotted an impressive mile after a rough trip, finishing second and clocking a last quarter in 29.1. Gigfy (trained by Brian Mattison and driven by Alek Chartrand) finished third, while post time favorite Mark of A Beast (Jim Devaux) and Goodashim (Brett Beckwith) finished in a dead heat for fourth. Quadratic Bluechip paid $12.60 to win.

Live racing continues Monday, with post time at 12pm.

Melissa Simser

Long shot Mark Of A Beast (trained by Andrew Byler) and driver Phil Fluet scored an upset win in today’s open trot. Leaving at the start, Mark Of A Beast went wire to wire in 1:55. The only potential challenger, and heavy favorite, Dewey Arnold (trained by David Dewhurst) made a break after the ¾, leaving Mark Of A Beast to coast away from the rest of the field. The 5 year-old trotter paid $74.50 to win.

Saratoga Casino Hotel

Melissa Simser

Big Box Hanover, and trainer/driver Larry Stalbaum coasted to an easy open win for the second week in a row Sunday afternoon at Saratoga Casino Hotel, Saratoga Springs, New York.

After getting away fourth, Larry Stalbaum pulled first up at the half mile marker with Big Box Hanover and took the lead, winning by 3 lengths in 1:56.

Melissa Simser

It has been a terrific late summer surge for Quadratic Blue Chip (Muscle Hill) at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Lisa Zabielski-trained trotter, who has previously dabbled in the local Open here and there, won the Friday feature for the first time last week (August 26). Zabielski and driver Chris Long have been a potent pairing this summer at the Spa and after their Quadratic Bluechip scored his first Open win last week, he drew post seven on Friday in his effort to repeat in the $16,000 feature.

The race’s favorite Reign Of Honor (Brett Beckwith) made a rare appearance on the front-end and despite working relatively hard to get to the top clicked off a half in a reasonable 57.2. As he and pocket-sitting ER Sophia (Jimmy Devaux) squared off in the stretch, the rail opened up for Quadratic Bluechip who was dismissed at odds of 25-1. The biggest longshot in the feature charged hard in the passing lane and won a photo with Reign Of Honor in a mile clocked in 1:56.3.

ER Sophia finished third but was disqualified for causing interference to a rival around the final turn which resulted in Remember Titans (Jay Randall) being placed third. Quadratic Blue Chip, who is co-owned by Mark Salerno and trainer Lisa Zabielski, paid $52 to win as a rare back-to-back Open Trot winner and led an exacta and triple that returned $316.50 and $809, respectively.

Zabielski and Long doubled on the card as they teamed up for a victory with young trotter Sevenare who like stablemate Quadratic Bluechip recorded a victory for the second consecutive week.

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

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser

ER Sophia (Swan For All) won the Open Trot at Saratoga Casino Hotel in July for the first time in her career. The John Mongeon trainee went coast-to-coast with leading driver Jimmy Devaux at the controls to record that victory. Following a third place finish in last week’s trotting feature, it was back into the Open again on Friday night for ER Sophia who drew post seven in the eight-horse feature and thus was the biggest longshot in the race while dismissed at odds of 21-1. Devaux sat patiently in the early going with the mare who was looking to beat the boys in the feature once again.

ER Sophia made her move at the three-quarter pole before swinging wide around the final turn. The six year old came charging home and wound up in a photo finish with millionaire trotter Cash Me Out (Phil Fluet). ER Sophia emerged victorious and paid $45.60 to upset in the $17,150 Open. Cash Me Out was the runner-up while Quadratic Bluechip (Chris Long) earned the show spot.

ER Sophia’s victory was her seventh on the season and second in Open company for owners Brenda Messenger and Scott Woogen. She led an exacta and triple in the feature that returned $301.50 and $2,378, respectively. Devaux piloted four winners on the Friday card.

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

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser

Angel Nation (Archangel) was tasked with besting a pair of trotters who have been on a tear of late. The Melissa Beckwith-trained Angel Nation started from post four in Friday’s Open Trot at Saratoga Casino Hotel and was squaring off against Reign Of Honor (Shawn Gray), who has won six of his previous eight starts, and Joxter (Dan Daley) who had hit the board in all ten starts to begin his season, usually while competing in the Open either locally or at Vernon Downs.

Angel Nation got the jump on his major dangers when he left and cut the mile in the Friday feature although Joxter, the race’s favorite at odds of 3-2, marched up on the outside to race parked out from just after the start. The Beckwith trainee went through a first half in an honest 56.2 with Joxter to his flank. All the while, the longest shot on the board Oh So Pine (Larry Stalbaum) sat the pocket behind Angel Nation and became a factor late in the mile.

Reign Of Honor got away last and although he shook free around the final turn, his move proved to be too little too late. Angel Nation drew clear in the stretch and opened up by a couple lengths but made a break under the shadow of the wire. The five year old survived an inquiry and stood as the Open’s winner paying $8.20 in a mild upset. Joxter toughed it out to finish second while Oh So Pine earned the show spot. Reign Of Honor had to settle for fourth.

The exacta and triple in the feature returned $25.80 and $168, respectively. Angel Nation is owned by Bill Hartt of Carmel, ME in partnership with trainer Melissa Beckwith. Brett Beckwith piloted the winner in the $16,000 Open for trotters.

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

Mike Sardella

Photo: Cheyanne Mandy

On Friday night, ER Sophia (Swan For All) found herself in the Open Trot at Saratoga Casino Hotel for the just the second time in her career. The John Mongeon trainee finished fourth in her lone try in the trotting feature and headed back into the $16,000 Open on Friday evening following a close second place finish in last week’s installment of the Winners Over for trotters.

Leading driver Jimmy Devaux found some early speed from the six year old mare who was facing a bit softer of a group than usual in the Friday Open. ER Sophia enjoyed a hassle-free first lap and coasted to the half in 59.2 before cruising out to win by open lengths in 1:56.4. Released at odds of 9-2, ER Sophia recorded her sixth victory of the season but her first in an Open.

The race’s longshot Deswanslittlelorie (Leon Bailey) got the pocket ride behind the winner and ended up as the runner-up while dismissed at odds of 55-1. Theresademoninme (Shawn Gray) earned the show spot. ER Sophia, who was a ten-time winner in 2021, is owned by Brenda Messenger of Monticello, NY in partnership with Scott Woogen of North Chesterfield, VA. The winner paid $11.80 and led an exacta and triple that returned $337.50 and $653, respectively.

Live racing continues on Saturday evening with a star-studded fifteen race program highlighted by the 13^th annual Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial Pace. The $250,000 race is the richest of the season at the Spa and will be featured on a night where NY Sire Stakes action for two year old pacing colts and geldings will also take place. First post time is set for 6:45pm.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser

Reign Of Honor won his second open trot this year with Shawn Gray in the bike on Sunday afternoon. He also earned a new lifetime mark on a half mile, trotting to the win in  1:55.2. Reign Of Honor is trained by Kevin McDermott.

Live racing will continue at Saratoga Casino Hotel, Saratoga Springs, NY.