There were four divisions of the third and final leg of the Step Up To The Plate Claiming Series contested on Saturday evening at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Much like in the previous legs, the favorites did not thrive in the early going on Saturday as horses had their final chance to accrue earnings towards next weekend’s $30,000+ Final. Control Tower (Panspacificflight) became the first repeat winner in the series when he went wire-to-wire with Jimmy Devaux in the sulky. The eleven year old utilized early speed to overcome the outside post in his seven-horse division of the series and wound up a wire-to-wire winner for owner/trainer Jared Bako paying $8.50 to win in the mild upset. Control Tower’s final time of 1:55.4 proved to be the fastest of the leg three winners.

Trainer Lisa Zabielski claimed Its Just Too Much (American Ideal) out of leg one and after the veteran pacer made a break last week, the ten year old rewarded his new connections with a victory in leg three when he emerged from a scramble in the stretch to score in 1:57.4 over a track labeled ‘sloppy.’ Chris Long piloted the upset winner who was dismissed at odds of 6-1.

The favorites finally began to prevail late in the evening when Rogue Cheddar (Betterthancheddar) scored as the odds-on public choice. A runner-up in each of the first two legs, Rogue Cheddar sat the pocket on Saturday and wasn’t able to shake loose until late in the mile. When he did, the Zack Gray-trained pacer surged up the passing lane to score in 1:57.4. The final $17,500 division of leg three went the way of Nerve Of Steel N and reinsman Phil Fluet. Like Rogue Cheddar, Nerve Of Steel N a runner-up in the first two legs of the series but got the job done on Saturday to punch his ticket to next weekend’s Final. His trainer Bob Davis co-owns the New Zealand import with Mike Mancini. Nerve Of Steel N paid $5.60 as the 9-5 favorite in leg three.

Live racing continues on Sunday at Saratoga with a matinee that kicks off at noon.

Photo: Jessica Hallett

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

With no Open Pace on the Saturday night card at Saratoga Casino Hotel, there were two Winners Overs that served as co-features. Trainer Amanda Kelley had the favorites in each one although both of her speedy pacers found themselves in much different positions. Willie Go West N (Auckland Reactor) moved up into the $14,500 Winners Over off a victory in the U.S. debut two weeks ago, a race that saw him secure a wire-to-wire score in 1:52.4. On Saturday, the Kelley trainee drew post eight for his big test against strong competition and leading driver Jimmy Devaux found some early speed from the New Zealand invader who landed in third in the early going. When Devaux gave Willie Go West N his cue approaching the half, the rising star powered impressively past his rivals before drawing away to again win in 1:52.4 to match the lifetime mark he set in his Spa debut two weeks ago. Kelley owns and trains the seven year old pacer.

Kelley again teamed up with Devaux on Saturday with Mach Le More A (Mach Three) who drew the rail in the $15,525 second division of the Winners Over races. The runner-up after sitting the pocket in last week’s try at the same level, Mach Le More A controlled his own destiny this week and set pretty leisurely fractions on the engine before facing a stiff challenge in the stretch from pocket-sitting Hespoisedtopounce A (Matt Athearn). Mach Le More A dug in and survived a photo to score his second win of the year to complete a sweep of the features for his connections. Mach Le More A is owned by the S &K Misfit Racing stable of Greenfield Center, NY. Continuing what has been a terrific start to his 2023 season, Devaux piloted five winners on the Saturday card.

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

Mike Sardella

Photo: Jessica Hallett

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

Trainer Lisa Zabielski and driver Chris Long teamed up for a pair of winners on the Saturday card at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Zabielski and Long won their first Open of the year when Optical Illusion N (He’s Watching) prevailed in the $16,000 feature. Long retook the lead heading to the opening quarter with the race’s 4-5 betting favorite and set a fast tempo with the Zabielski trainee who rattled off fractions of 27 and 56 seconds in lap one. Optical Illusion N was tasked with fending off a strong first-over bid from Belmont Major N (Jimmy Devaux), a task in which he succeeded holding off that rival to prevail in 1:52.1. Belmont Major N went a long way overland to finish second while Rocknroll Runa A (Matt Athearn) earned the show spot. A nominee for Pacer of the Year in 2022 at the Spa, Optical Illusion N’s victory was his first in the Open this season. He led an exacta and triple that paid $39.80 and $215, respectively. The seven year old New Zealand invader, who won twelve times in ’22, is owned by Kim Zabielski and his trainer Lisa Zabielski. Long and Zabielski teamed up later in the card for a victory with Mount Royal who scored in leg one of the Step Up To The Plate claiming series for pacers. Long piloted three winners on the Saturday card in total.

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

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 nothing shy of dynamic since coming to Saratoga Casino Hotel late in the summertime. The Alicia Gray trainee has had to deal with outside posts in each of his local tries but has been undaunted finishing first or second in the six consecutive starts that he’s made in the Open Pace heading into his most recent try.

On Saturday night, Alluneedisfaith N drew post eight for his attempt in the $16,000 Open and left a bit at the start to settle in mid-pack. The race’s favorite worked hard in the early going but settled onto the front-end in a first half paced in 56.1. Alluneedisfaith N powered up on the outside and just unloaded on the favorite taking over the lead around the final turn.

Under just mild urging from driver Shawn Gray, Alluneedisfaith N reported home a length winner in a mile clocked in 1:53.4 on a chilly night in Saratoga. Longshot Crockets Cullen N (Larry Stalbaum) got away last in the eight-horse feature but came charging hard in the stretch before finishing second at odds of 30-1. Optical Illusion N (Chris Long) earned the show spot to continue what has been his breakout campaign at the Spa.

The morning line favorite, Alluneedisfaith N paid $7.60 to win in what was his fourth Open victory since coming to town in August and his eleventh win overall in the 2022 season. The eight year old is owned by Doug Overhiser of New Smyrna Beach, FL.

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

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser

Moonshine Kisses (Sunshine Beach) is making a late run at Pacer of the Year at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Jackie Greene-trained pacer rattled off his third consecutive victory and fifth in his last six tries in the local Open Pace on Saturday. Contending with the outside post for the third straight week, he changed tactics just a bit this week and floated out a bit at the start.

Driver Jay Randall found placement in mid-pack with the race’s 4-5 betting favorite and pacesetter Crockets Cullen N (Larry Stalbaum) powered through a first half in 56.3, Moonshine Kisses bided his time. Randall unleashed the favorite heading to the three-quarter pole and when the Greene trainee made his move, it proved to be too much for his competition. Moonshine Kisses secured a decisive victory, stopping the timer in 1:52.3 for his ninth win of the season in just seventeen tries and his fifth in the last six starts in the local Open.

Crockets Cullen N finished second in a $10.20 exacta while longshot American R ebel (Luke Hanners) earned the show spot to round out a $52.50 triple. Moonshine Kisses is owned by Kellogg Racing Stables of Queensbury, NY.

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

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser

Saturday night marked the conclusion of the eighth annual installment of the Gary Kamal Pacing Series at Saratoga Casino Hotel with Blue Collar Man at the front. The Final for the series named in the memory of a longtime Saratoga horseman who passed away in 2007 appeared to be up for grabs as the lone pacer who swept the three legs of the series drew post eight for his try in Saturday’s $35,000 Final.

Pickup Man Hanover was the public’s 9-5 betting favorite on Saturday despite the poor draw but the post position got the best of the talented three year old. Blue Collar Man (Bolt The Duer) was a beaten favorite twice in the series while confronted with defeating Pickup Man Hanover who wound up in the same division as the Dan Daley-trained pacer in each of the three legs. It was the Dan Daley trainee who flipped the script on Saturday and wound up on the front-end in the Final.

The sophomore paid a stiff price for getting to the lead though as he posted first-half fractions of 26.3 and 55 seconds before facing a host of challengers turning for home. The Blue Collar Man held on to score, winning a photo with longshot Special FX (Chris Long) to prevail in 1:53.4 and become the eighth winner in the history of the Gary Kamal Pacing Series. Special FX, a leg one winner, was the runner-up on Saturday while Skyline Blue Chip (Billy Dobson) earned the show spot.

Blue Collar Man paid $5.80 to win as the second-choice in the wagering and led an exacta and triple that returned $50.50 and $425.50, respectively. The three year old Blue Collar Man is owned by Ann-Mari Daley and Donald Brenner, both of Florida.

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

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser

Moonshine Kisses (Sunshine Beach) continued his hot streak on Saturday night at Saratoga Casino Hotel when the Jackie Greene trainee rattled off his third consecutive win in the local Open Pace. The six year old, who has split his season between Saratoga and mostly Plainridge Park, put the swoop to the group once again in Saturday’s $16,000 Open when he went last to first with reinsman Jay Randall at the controls.

Moonshine Kisses prevailed in last weekend’s Open Pace when he pulled off a last-to-first move to stop the timer in 1:53. In his repeat effort, the star pacer again overcame his outside post by cruising past his rivals late to score in 1:53.3 in what was his eighth victory of the 2022 campaign and his third in the local Open in the month of October. On Saturday, the Greene trainee paid $4.80 as the race’s 7-5 betting favorite.

Pocket Of Terror A (Brett Beckwith) was the runner-up in the feature while longshot Crockets Cullen N (Larry Stalbaum) earned the show spot. The exacta and triple in the race returned $14.80 and $179.50, respectively. Moonshine Kisses is owned by the Kellogg Racing Stables of Queensbury, NY.

Live racing continues on Sunday afternoon with a first post time set for noon.

Saratoga Springs, New York

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser