Larry Stalbaum has been riding a hot streak of late at Saratoga Casino Hotel and on Tuesday, the veteran horseman added three wins to his growing tally. Stalbaum owns, trains and drives a trio of pacers who each recorded victories on Tuesday with each doing it in very different fashion. Stalbaum’s American Zest A (American Ideal) was the 2-5 betting favorite in the $11,250 Tuesday feature for pacers. The seven year old wound up moving first-over after a first half that went in 55.1 before powering past the leader and drawing out to win in a sparkling 1:52.2. For American Zest A, it was victory number four on the season and for Stalbaum, it was number three on the day. His Shady City (Metropolitan) won despite being parked the mile for the second consecutive week as he toughed out an overland journey to score in 1:56 in the afternoon’s opener for claiming pacers. Itsonlyrocknroll A (Million Dollar Cam) prevailed the old fashioned way as he went coast-to-coast 1:54.1 for Stalbaum in an $8,500 pace in which he was claimed out of. Stalbaum came into the week tied for fourth in the trainer standings and has piled up four wins in the two race days thus far following a Monday score from trotter Mr Cool Seaeyre N and the Tuesday hat trick.

Live racing continues on Wednesday afternoon at Saratoga with a first post set for Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

Keystone Dakota (Art Major) is in the midst of his breakout year and the Melissa Beckwith trainee continued his strong spring on Tuesday afternoon at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The five year old was purchased back in March and moved to the Beckwith stable where he has completely thrived. Just a few weeks removed from a lifetime best win in 1:51.4 at Yonkers Raceway, Keystone Dakota returned to Saratoga where he took part in Tuesday’s $10,250 feature for pacers. Mark Beckwith piloted the rising star and moved him out to the early lead. The 8-5 morning-line favorite went off at odds of 5-2 and wound up making every pole a winning one before stopping the timer in 1:54 in a mile highlighted by a 27.3 final quarter. The victory was Keystone Dakota’s fifth in eight starts since moving to the Beckwith barn. Mr Big Wig (Billy Dobson) made his local debut and sat the pocket to Keystone Dakota before finishing as the runner-up on Tuesday while Sassy Hanover (Shawn Gray) earned the show spot. Keystone Dakota, who is owned by Howard Jacobs of West Orange, NJ, paid $7.20 to win and led an exacta and triple that came back $19.40 and $65.50, respectively.

Live racing continues on Wednesday afternoon with a first post set for Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

Hudson Phil (Shanghai Phil) was one of the top pacers at Saratoga Casino Hotel over the past couple of seasons. The Jackie Greene trainee was one of the top two winningest horses in the Open Pace in the 2019 and 2020 campaigns. This year, in his six year old season, Hudson Phil has split his time between Saratoga and tracks out of town. On Tuesday, Hudson Phil drew the outside post in the $10,500 feature for pacers one week after he scored an impressive victory in 1:52. Leading driver Billy Dobson sat behind Hudson Phil and took him back early on Tuesday. Getting away last as the race’s 2-1 co-favorite, Hudson Phil reaped the benefits of first half fractions of 26.4 and 56 seconds, the Greene trainee made his move heading to the three-quarter pole as Dobson fanned him to the far outside. The longtime Open star completed his back to back jacks behind a three-wide move which saw him score in 1:53. The victory was his second straight and third on the season. American Zest A (Larry Stalbaum) was the runner-up to Hudson Phil for the second consecutive week while No Ordinary Man (Phil Fluet) closed to finish third. The win for Hudson Phil, who is owned by the Kellogg Racing Stables of Queensbury, NY, was the 30^th of his career in just 101 lifetime starts.

Live racing continues on Wednesday afternoon at Saratoga with three year old pacing fillies taking center stage as part of the New York Sire Stakes. First post is set for Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

Unique Beach (Somebeachsomewhere) continued his recent dominance at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Tuesday afternoon. The Melissa Beckwith-trained pacer completed a sweep of the J.P. Morel Memorial Pacing Series as Wally Hennessey guided him to another decisive victory. Unique Beach won for the fifth consecutive week at the Spa and did so at odds of 1-9 as he went coast-to-coast on Tuesday to become the winner of the 8^th annual J.P. Morel Memorial Pace. The four year old had his way on the engine before cruising to a three and a half length romp in a seasonal best clocking of 1:54. Leading trainer Gary Levine had the second and third-place finishers in the Final as his Furious Beach (Shawn Gray), who had a win and a second in the two legs of the Series heading into Tuesday, closed up the rail to finish second in the $32,200 Final. King Street (Billy Dobson), a leg two winner for Levine, earned the show spot. Unique Beach was as heavily backed as a horse can be paying $2.10 to win. The exacta with Furious Beach returned $9.60 while the triple came back $53.50. Unique Beach is owned by William Hartt of Carmel, ME. Hennessey piloted three winners on the Tuesday card as he continues to thrive in his two days per week driving at Saratoga.

Live racing continues on Wednesday at Saratoga Casino Hotel with first post time set for Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

The red-hot stretch for conditioner Amanda Kelley continued on Tuesday afternoon at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The meet’s second leading trainer saw her stable’s star Some Waratah A (Somebeachsomewhere) add yet another to his impressive win total for the season as the Aussie invader prevailed in Tuesday’s $14,000 Open Pace. Some Waratah A moved his record to six for nine in 2021 as the talented pacer scored in 1:52.4 to register his third win in four starts in the local feature. Greg Merton was forced to change tactics with Some Waratah A this week in the Open as the race was filled with early speed. A horse who has thrived on the lead since coming to the U.S. this winter came from off the pace this week and had the benefit of being a closer in a race that went to the half in 55 seconds. Some Waratah A got a second-over trip and powered off his cover heading to the three-quarter pole before taking the lead in the stretch. Some Waratah A was the Open’s 4-5 betting favorite as he bested invader Lachie Maguire N (Jimmy Devaux) and Artful Way (Billy Dobson) who finished second and third. The exacta and triple paid $43 and $156, respectively. Some Waratah A was one of four winners on the card for his connections as owner the Scheigert Racing Stable of Saratoga Springs, NY, Amanda Kelley and Greg Merton teamed up for a grand slam on the beautiful spring afternoon in the Spa City. In addition to the win in the Open, they scored victories with pacers Lake Charles, Franco Tristan N and Real Kid to continue their local hot streak.

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

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

Tuesday marked the start of the eighth annual J.P. Morel Memorial Pacing Series at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The $10,000 per division series, which went on hiatus in 2020, saw a dominant force emerge as Unique Beach (Somebeachsomewhere) scored decisively in Tuesday’s first leg. The four year old Melissa Beckwith trainee came into the series off back-to-back victories which came by a total of more than eighteen lengths. Wally Hennessey piloted Unique Beach on Tuesday and moved the 1-9 betting favorite out to the early lead. The rising star never faced an anxious moment before pacing away from his rivals to score by four lengths in 1:55.4. Longshot Hot Joe (Phil Fluet) closed to be second while Thor And Dr Jones (Greg Merton) held on to finish third. Unique Beach, who is owned by William Hartt of Carmel, ME, came into the series as the one to beat and came out of leg one as its dominant force.

The other division of the first leg of the J.P. Morel Memorial Pace went the way of Furious Beach (Somebeachsomewhere) who prevailed for leading trainer Gary Levine and reinsman Shawn Gray. Furious Beach lasted on the lead while hanging on to score in 1:59.2. 65-1 shot The Best Tyme Ever (Alek Chartrand) finished second while King Spencer (Billy Dobson) earned the show spot. The victory was one of four on the card for Gray and two for Levine. There is one more leg of the series set to be contested next Tuesday (May 18^th) leading up to the Final which will go for a purse of upwards of $30,000.

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

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

On Monday afternoon, we had a first-time Open winner at Saratoga Casino Hotel as Gigfy parlayed a pocket ride to prevail in the Open Trot en route to his first ever victory in the local trotting feature. On Tuesday, Sports Obsession (Sportwriter) came into the $14,000 Open Pace seeking to be the next horse to prevail in an Open for the first time at the Spa. Jimmy Devaux piloted the Jimmy Nickerson-trained pacer to a second-place finish in last week’s (April 27) Open. On Tuesday, Sports Obsession returned to the front-end and Devaux gave the four year old a bit of breather after reaching the quarter in 27.4. After getting a half in 57 seconds, Sports Obsession was tested only mildly to three-quarters before checking-in in 1:24.4. Sports Obsession, who went off at odds of 4-1, was then met with the challenge from pocket-sitting favorite Crockets Cullen N (Larry Stalbaum) but rebuffed that bid in the stretch before stopping the timer in 1:53 to register his first Open win at the Spa. Crockets Cullen N had to settle for second while longshot Juxlivin My Dream (Shawn Gray) finished third. Sports Obsession paid $10.20 to win and led an exacta and triple that returned $23.40 and $151.50, respectively. For Sports Obsession, while it was his first score in a local feature, it was victory number five on the season. The young pacer, who is owned by Joseph Trice, of Hampden, ME, accounted for one of the three winners for Devaux on the Tuesday card.

Nobody hit the Pick Five on Tuesday so there will be a carryover of $4,162 for Wednesday’s Pick Five that begins in the first race. The jackpot has built up to $6,952.27 in the Jackpot Pick Six wager that kicks off in the afternoon’s sixth race. First post time is set for Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

It was a big afternoon on Tuesday for trainer Amanda Kelley and driver Greg Merton at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Not only did the pair win the $13,000 Open Pace together but they teamed up for a couple of victories on the card. Some Waratah A (Somebeachsomewhere) has been terrific since coming over from Australia this winter. The Kelley trainee came into Tuesday’s Open with three wins and two seconds in six starts since the move to the U.S. This week, Some Waratah A was assigned post six in the six-horse feature and driver Greg Merton put the 2-5 betting favorite in gear in the early going. Rival Sports Obsession (Jimmy Devaux) was also aggressive at the start and forced the favorite into the pocket. After cruising through the first quarter in 27.3, Sports Obsession got a breather before getting to the half in 57.1. The tempo quickened a bit heading towards three-quarters and the top two got a bit of separation from the remainder of the rivals. Some Waratah A got revved up around the final turn and powered past Sports Obsession in the lane before coming on to win in 1:53.2. After having to settle for second-best in two straight tries, Some Waratah A was able to return to the winner’s circle for his second local Open Pace victory. Sports Obsession held strong to be second while Waimac Attack N (Jay Randall) earned the show spot. Some Waratah A led an exacta and triple that paid $6.70 and $19.60 in the feature. The victory in the Open was the second on the card for Kelley and Merton who teamed up to win a claiming pacing event with Gunpowder N (Bettor’s Delight) who moved his local record to two-for-two after recording an “off the pace” score.

Live racing continues on Wednesday afternoon at Saratoga with a first post set for Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

Macheasy A (Mach Three) has been making it look easy in his short time at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Rob Harmon-trained pacer raced for the third time at the Spa on Tuesday and moved his record to three-for-three. And he isn’t just winning. The eight year old has won the Open Pace in all three of his local tries. Jay Randall sat behind the top-flight pacer once again on Tuesday as he started from post six in the six-horse feature. Macheasy A parlayed pocket trips to victory to record his first two Open wins but this week the method changed a bit. One of two even-money shots in the $14,000 feature, Macheasy A powered out to the early lead in a 27.3 first quarter. The Aussie invader got a bit of a breather while reaching the half in 57 seconds before clicking off three-quarters in 1:24.4. Co-favored Moonshine Kisses (Billy Dobson) reversed roles with Macheasy A after cutting the mile in last week’s Open and sat the two-hole to the razor sharp rival. He took his shot in the stretch but the chase was futile as Macheasy A recorded the rare Open hat trick, stopping the timer in 1:53.1 in his third consecutive Open score. Moonshine Kisses was the runner-up once again this week while American Zest A (Larry Stalbaum) finished third. The exacta paid $7.70 while the triple came back $17.60 with the favorites thriving in the feature. Randall has now won three of the last four features at Saratoga while sitting behind Harmon trainees as Shecouldbegood N prevailed in the top race for fillies and mares at the Spa last Wednesday.

Live racing continues on Wednesday afternoon with a first set for Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

Macheasy A (Mach Three) made it look easy winning for the second consecutive Tuesday afternoon at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Rob Harmon trainee came to the Spa for the first time last week with two wins to his credit in 2021 but with no evidence that he could thrive in an Open Pace. The eight year old pacer proved otherwise last week when he parlayed a pocket ride to victory with Jay Randall at the controls. This Tuesday, Macheasy A once again got a two-hole trip behind a Jackie Greene-trained pacer. Moonshine Kisses (Billy Dobson) raced against top-flight competition at Yonkers this winter and spring and wound up going off at even money in the wagering in his return to the Spa. Moonshine Kisses cut the mile and set fast fractions on the engine on Tuesday before having Macheasy A cruise past him in the stretch. Macheasy A, who was the public’s 3-5 betting favorite, stopped the timer in a 2021 Saratoga-best 1:51.3 in his second straight win in the $11,000 Open for pacers with Randall in the sulky. The back-to-back Open champ is owned by the Harmon Racing Stable of Milford, PA. The exacta in the five-horse feature paid a chalky $3.90 while the triple with Olde Broadside (Alek Chartrand) third returned $12.60.

Live racing continues on Wednesday afternoon at Saratoga with a first post set for Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Cheyanne Mandy