Moonshine Kisses was named Pacer of the Year for the 2022 season at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Jackie Greene trainee was a force in the Open despite only competing locally in just over half of his starts last season. After being a beaten favorite last week (Feb 18), Moonshine Kisses drew post eight for his try in the $17,000 Open Pace on Saturday night. Driver Jay Randall sat patiently in the early going with the standout, content to get away last in the eight-horse feature. The fractions were fast and as the closers started to make their move, it was quickly apparent that Moonshine Kisses was going to be a big time threat in the stretch. Randall unleashed the seven year old approaching the three-quarter pole and the star pacer took it from there. Moonshine Kisses overcame a deficit of more than a dozen lengths to score in 1:53 over a track labeled ‘good.’ Uncle Jord A (Shawn Gray) was a strong second in his second local start while the favored Optical Illusion N (Chris Long) had to settle for third. Moonshine Kisses paid $9.30 to win in the mild upset and led an exacta and triple that returned $52.50 and $116, respectively. The winner is owned by Kellogg Racing Stables LLC of Queensbury, NY.

Live racing continues on Sunday afternoon with a matinee that starts at noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Jessica Hallett

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

Rocknroll Runa A (Rock N Roll Heaven) came up just short in his debut in the local Open Pace on opening weekend at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Fast forward two weeks to Saturday night and the Larry Stalbaum trainee drew the rail for his second try in the $17,000 feature. Young reinsman Matt Athearn picked up the catch-drive behind Rocknroll Runa A who got away second behind Take A Gamble (Leon Bailey). That invader was the winner of the lone Open Pace contested on the young season at the Spa heading into Saturday’s tilt. This week, Take A Gamble’s first half fractions of 26.3 and 55.3 took their toll late and after going toe-to-toe with the favored Moonshine Kisses (Jay Randall), the leader faded. Rocknroll Runa A shook loose around the final turn and came charging hard on the outside in the stretch before coming on to win in 1:52, the fastest time for any horse in the ’23 campaign at the Spa. The longest shot on the board Belmont Major N (Jimmy Devaux) closed up the inside to finish second while Moonshine Kisses had to settle for third in his first try in the local Open this season. Rocknroll Runa A paid $13.60 to win in the mild upset and led big-priced exotics. The exacta returned $242.50 while the triple came back $444. Rocknroll Runa A is owned and trained by Larry Stalbaum whose barn had a pair of victories on the Saturday card. His former Spa Pacer of the Year Crockets Cullen N went coast-to-coast on Saturday with young pilot Brett Beckwith in the sulky.

Live racing continues on Sunday afternoon with a matinee that starts at noon. There is a Pick Five carryover of $2,609 in the matinee’s early Pick Five and a carryover of $2,017 in the late Pick Five.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Jessica Hallett

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

Optical Illusion N (He’s Watching) instantly became a force after coming to Saratoga Casino Hotel last year. Lisa Zabielski trains and co-owns the New Zealand import who had a breakthrough season in 2022 scoring twelve wins en route to earnings of more than $114,000. For his efforts, Optical Illusion N was named a nominee for Pacer of the Year at the Spa in his local rookie season. The ’23 campaign kicked off last Saturday night (Feb 4) for Optical Illusion N who was dismissed at odds of 29-1 despite drawing post two for his try in the Open Pace. Shaking loose late in the mile, the Zabielski trainee came up just shy of upsetting having to settle for second-best in a mile clocked in 1:54.2.

This week, with no Open Pace on the docket, the $14,500 Winners Over was the evening’s feature and Optical Illusion N drew the outside post for his second start of the season. His regular driver Chris Long asked for a bit of early speed from the six year old pacer who found a spot mid-pack in the early going.
The rising star came motoring home in the stretch while surging past his rivals to win the Saturday feature in 1:53.3. With the would-be favorite taken out of the betting due to suffering broken equipment before the start, he wound up as the 2-1 second choice in the wagering and paid $6.50 to win. The favored Belmont Major N (Jimmy Devaux) finished second while Stop Staring (Billy Dobson) earned the show spot. Optical Illusion N is owned by Lisa and Kim Zabielski.

Live racing resumes on Monday afternoon with a matinee beginning at noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Jessica Hallett

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

It was opening day for the 2023 campaign on Saturday evening and an eleven race card got the season started on a cold night at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Invader Take A Gamble (Bettor’s Delight) came to town off back-to-back wins in 1:52 at Yonkers and drew the outside post in the $18,200 Open Pace on Saturday. Leon Bailey piloted the Jared Bako-trained pacer who cut the mile in the season’s first feature. Leading in a first half of 56.4, Take A Gamble was met with the challenge of Spa first timer Rocknroll Runa A (Larry Stalbaum) when got past the leader turning for home. In the stretch though, Take A Gamble rallied back and reclaimed the lead late in the mile before hitting the wire first in 1:54.2. Longshot Optical Illusion N (Chris Long) shook loose in the lane and charged hard to be second while Rocknroll Runa A tired late and wound up as the third-place finisher in the Open. Take A Gamble, who is owned by Stephen Klunowski of Ontario, Canada, paid $6.40 as the race’s favorite and led an exacta and triple that returned $112 and $424, respectively.

Live racing will take place on both Sunday and Monday afternoon with first post time set for noon for each of the matinees.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

Nuttin But Finesse and driver Luke Hanners won Saturday night’s open pace in 1:52.2 This was Nuttin But Finesse’s 9th win in 2022. The 4 year-old Art Major is trained by Janice Connor.

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

Alluneedisfaith N (Art Major) has been a force since joining the stable of trainer Alicia Gray this August. On Saturday, the New Zealand invader won the local Open Pace for the second time and extended his streak of finishing first or second to five weeks. Alluneedisfaith N was the 4-5 betting favorite in Saturday’s Open at Saratoga Casino Hotel and driver Shawn Gray marched the public’s choice out to the lead in a first quarter in 28.1.

As if that fraction wasn’t soft enough, the veteran got even more of a breather before clicking off a half in 59.1 and from there the race seemed like it was over. Optical Illusion N (Chris Long) drew post seven in the seven-horse feature and had the daunting task of trying to close in a race with such soft fractions up front. Optical Illusion N drew even with Alluneedisfaith N late in the mile and those two squared off in the stretch before the favorite held strong to prevail in a mile paced in 1:54.3.

Optical Illusion N hit the board for the sixth time in his last seven tries in the Open when he finished second on Saturday to complete a $24 exacta. Keystone Dakota (Brett Beckwith) earned the show spot to round out a $76.50 triple. Alluneedisfaith N now has four wins and two seconds in seven starts since joining the Gray stable. The eight year old is owned by Doug Overhiser of Florida.

Live racing continues on Sunday afternoon at Saratoga with a matinee starting at noon. There will be a $1,486 carryover in the Pick Five pool with the Pick Five starting in the afternoon’s first race.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser

No trainer has won the Open Pace more times in the last decade at Saratoga Casino Hotel than Jackie Greene. The track’s two-time leading trainer splits her time between Saratoga and Plainridge as she has several top-flight, Open caliber pacers. On Saturday evening, Greene’s Moonshine Kisses (Sunshine Beach) was the 2-5 betting favorite in the local Open Pace as the six year old made his return to town off a victory in the Plainridge Open last week.

Driver Jay Randall took back early with the public’s odds-on choice on Saturday but with the first half going in just 57.2, it didn’t necessarily shape up to be a closer’s race. Moonshine Kisses picked up the cover of rival Optical Illusion N (Chris Long) who has become a force in the Open this summer and was coming off a win in last week’s installment of the $16,000 feature. The outer tier thrived and as Optical Illusion N wore down the leader, Moonshine Kisses tipped off his cover and came charging hard in the stretch before stopping the timer in 1:52.4 to record his second local Open win of the year and his sixth victory overall in thirteen seasonal starts.

Optical Illusion N was the runner-up while Patrikthepiranha A (Brett Beckwith) closed to be third. Moonshine Kisses, who is owned by Kellogg Racing Stables of Queensbury, NY, paid $2.90 to win as the big favorite and led an exacta and triple that returned $11.80 and $36, respectively. The victory was the sixth at the Spa this season in the Open Pace for Jackie Greene.

Live racing continues on Sunday with a matinee beginning at noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser

Alluneedisfaith N (Art Major) recorded his first local Open victory at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Saturday in what was a huge night for driver Shawn Gray. He was a beaten favorite in his two Spa starts coming into Saturday’s try when he drew post six in the six-horse Open Pace. The 5-2 second-choice in the wagering, Alluneedisfaith N got away last in the $16,000 feature and with fractions nothing close to blistering up front, the chances appeared bleak for the Alicia Gray trainee after the first half went in 56.4.

The favorite was carving out the fractions while confronted by a first-over Optical Illusion N (Billy Dobson). Those two slugged it out as Alluneedisfaith N remained sixth and last at the three-quarter pole. Gray fanned the New Zealand import to the far outside around the final turn and the eight year old made the kind of move rarely seen when racing against top flight competition. The classy veteran powered past his rivals to score in 1:52.3 to register his first win in a local Open highlighted by a final quarter of 27.1.

Alluneedisfaith N paid $7.30 to win and led an exacta with Keystone Dakota (Brett Beckwith) second that returned $35.40. Optical Illusion N finished third and rounded out a $156 triple. Gray’s win behind Alluneedisfaith N, who is owned by Doug Overhiser of Illinois, was one of four consecutive victories and five on the night in total for the veteran reinsman who sits fourth in the driver standings for the season.

Live racing continues on Sunday afternoon at Saratoga with first post time set for Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser

Talking Tom (Artspeak) won the Open Pace at Saratoga Casino Hotel for the first time in his career on Saturday night doing so in upset fashion. The Perry Simser-trained pacer drew the rail just one week removed from a strong-closing third place finish in the $16,000 feature. Driver Chris Long powered out from the rail on Saturday with Talking Tom who was dismissed at odds of 12-1.

As the five year old approached the half-mile pole, rival Velocity Smoke (Phil Fluet) came powering up to his outside and cleared in a half that went in 57.1. Talking Tom then rode the leader’s coattails as the pacesetter was confronted by the race’s 2-5 betting favorite Moonshine Kisses (Jay Randall). Velocity Smoke was holding firm until mid-stretch when his two rivals got the better of him.

Talking Tom charged hard in the passing lane as Moonshine Kisses gave one last surge towards the wire but it was the Simser trainee who emerged victorious in a mile clocked in 1:53, a win time that serves as a new lifetime mark for him. Moonshine Kisses finished second to complete a $55 exacta while Velocity Smoke earned the show spot and rounded out a $194 triple.

Talking Tom, who moved over the $100,000 mark in career earnings with the win, is owned by his trainer Perry Simser in partnership with Dennis Nye of Saratoga Springs.

Live racing continues on Sunday afternoon at Saratoga with eight NY Sire Stakes Excelsior Finals each going for a purse of $50,000. First post time is set for noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser

Saturday’s card at Saratoga Casino Hotel was highlighted by a rare double feature. A pair of $16,000 Opens for pacers served as co-features and while each field was comprised of just six horses, both races resulted in some impressive efforts. An Open first-timer stole the show as Bob Uhl’s Velocity Smoke came into Saturday night as a winner of two straight in the conditional ranks but having never raced against top-flight competition in his career.

Coming into the try off back-to-back wins from off the pace that each came in 1:53.1, Velocity Smoke once again was a closer on Saturday as reinsman Phil Fluet got a cover trip for the Uhl trainee who fanned off the cover at the head of the stretch. When he did, he was all business and Velocity Smoke powered past the favored Lake Charles (Luke Hanners) to prevail in a seasonal best 1:52.2.

The Open first timer paid $9.70 to win in the mild upset and led an exacta with Lake Charles second that returned $28. Talking Tom (Chris Long) rounded out a $60 triple. Velocity Smoke is co-owned by his trainer Bob Uhl of Ballston Spa and Steve Delligan of Schenectady.

Unlike the winner of the other co-feature, Moonshine Kisses (Sunshine Beach) is no stranger to the Open Pace. The Jackie Greene-trained stalwart made his return to the Spa on Saturday and was heavily endorsed by the betting public. Bet down to odds of 1-5, Moonshine Kisses took back in the early going as the tempo was hot.

Former Spa Pacer of the Year Crockets Cullen N (Larry Stalbaum) was looking to repeat on the lead but the backfield got into motion late in the mile and driver Jay Randall fanned to the far outside turning for home with Moonshine Kisses. The Greene-trained pacer made a sweeping move in the stretch before stopping the timer in 1:52 in what was the first local Open Pace victory of the season for the talented six year old. Moonshine Kisses is owned by the Kellogg Racing Stables of Queensbury, NY.

Live racing continues in Saratoga on Sunday evening beginning at 6:45pm. There is a Pick 5 carryover of $1,131 with the Pick 5 starting in the first race.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser