With no Open Trot on the docket at Saratoga Casino Hotel, the $15,525 Winners Over for trotters served as the feature on Sunday afternoon. Melissa and Brett Beckwith have teamed up for five Open wins this season with their Angel Nation who won the most recently contested Open last Sunday (June 25).

This weekend saw the Beckwith’s Chapheart (Chapter Seven) go off as the favorite in the feature for high-steppers. Being the public’s top choice in the wagering is nothing different for the four year old Chapheart who was the odds-on favorite in each of his first five Saratoga starts, three of which saw him prevail. On Sunday, Brett Beckwith left a bit with Chapheart before winding up pulling the even money favorite first-over on leader Makadushin N Cheez (Jimmy Devaux).

Those two did battle for a half mile before Chapheart began to impose his will and grind the leader into submission before stopping the timer in 1:56 to record his fourth win in six local tries. Makadushin N Cheez held strong to be second while Gigfy (Alek Chartrand) earned the show spot. Chapheart paid $4.20 to win while going off at the biggest odds he’s been in any of his local tries.

He led an exacta and triple that returned $8.20 and $30.80, respectively. The victory, which came in 1:56, was one of three consecutive on the card for young reinsman Brett Beckwith who sits in second among local drivers in the 2023 campaign.

Chapheart is owned in partnership by Yannick Gingras of NJ and Fac Racing LLC of Scarsdale, NY.

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

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) has been the early season’s force at Saratoga Casino Hotel and on Sunday afternoon, the top caliber trotter was at it again. Larry Stalbaum owns and trains Big Box Hanover who was a nominee for Trotter of the Year at Saratoga last season and is well on pace to have an even bigger campaign in 2023. Coming into Sunday’s start in the $17,000 Open Trot, Big Box Hanover already owned three victories in the local feature this year despite being assigned an outside post almost weekly. In fact, the six year old went last to first in back-to-back starts earlier this month to record victories before finishing third in last Sunday’s (Mar 19) installment of the Open. This week, young reinsman Matt Athearn again took Big Box Hanover back to last in the early going but didn’t waste much time in getting the razor-sharp trotter underway. Flushing out the cover of weekly rival Dewey Arnold (Jimmy Devaux) approaching the half mile pole, Big Box Hanover wound up fanning three-wide heading to three quarters before taking over the lead in mid-stretch. The 6-5 betting favorite went last to first for the third time in four starts to secure his fifth win of the ’23 campaign and fourth in the local Open Trot. Reign Of Honor (Shawn Gray) closed well to finish second while Dewey Arnold earned the show spot. The exacta and triple in the feature paid $27.60 and $74.50, respectively. Driver Matt Athearn piloted three winners on the Sunday card in what has been a breakout first two months of the season at the Spa for the 24 year old.

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

Photo: Jessica Hallett

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

Summit City Sonny (Dover Dan) came into Sunday’s Open Trot at Saratoga Casino Hotel riding as long of a win streak as any horse has had in the young season. The Jesse McAssey trainee debuted at the Spa last year and enjoyed a good amount of success racing. The 2023 campaign started with a second-place finish for Summit City Sonny who quickly got into the win column the following week while competing in the winner of two but not more than five race lifetime condition. From there, the four year old rattled off a total of four consecutive victories before stepping up into the Open for the first time on Sunday afternoon. Leon Bailey has been the regular reinsman for Summit City Sonny this season and piloted him aggressively in the $17,000 feature pulling first-over on Beerthirty K (Jimmy Devaux) who cruised through a comfortable first half of 58.3. Summit City Sonny didn’t seem to pose much of a threat to the leader who clicked off three-quarters in 1:27.1. The McAssey trainee would not give in though and just kept plugging away on the outside before wearing down Beerthirty K late in the game to prevail in his debut in the Open. Beerthirty K was the runner-up while Big Box Hanover (Matt Athearn), the winner of the previous two installments of the Open Trot, came from the back of the pack to finish third on Sunday. Summit City Sonny, who is owned by his trainer Jesse McAssey in partnership with Adam Friedland, paid $23.60 to win in the upset and led an exacta and triple that returned $76.50 and $278.50, respectively.

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

Photo: Jessica Hallett

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

To go last-to-first in a race is a daunting task on a half mile track for any horse. To do it against a top-flight field of Open horses is even more of a tall order. Last Sunday (March 5), Big Box Hanover (Uncle Peter) did just that when he swooped the group to score in the $17,000 feature at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Larry Stalbaum-trained trotter was dismissed at odds of 27-1 when he recorded his second win in the local Open this season. This Sunday (March 12), Big Box Hanover once again was tasked from coming from last after drawing post eight in his attempt to repeat in the feature.

Young reinsman Matt Athearn, who drove the six year old to victory last week, again sat behind Big Box Hanover as they once again got away last in the eight-horse Open. On Sunday, Big Box Hanover was third over after a first half that went in 57.3 and again made a late sweeping move to take over the lead in the stretch. The Stalbaum trainee stopped the timer in 1:56.1 for his fourth win of the season and third score in the local Open in ’23. Dewey Arnold (Jimmy Devaux) was the runner-up to Big Box Hanover for the second consecutive week while Abruzzo (Shawn Gray) earned the show spot.

The three-time Open winner paid $16.60 on Sunday and led an exacta and triple that returned $57 and $195, respectively. Post eight, no problem for Big Box Hanover!

Live racing continues on Monday at Saratoga with a first post set for noon.

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

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

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