Rocknroll Runa A won the final two installments of the Open Pace contested in 2023 at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Larry Stalbaum owns and trains the Aussie-bred invader who enjoyed a monster ’23 campaign in which he earn more than $230,000 by way of 13 wins.
The first Open Pace of the 2024 was contested on Saturday evening, Feb. 3 on an opening day card that consisted of 10 races. Rocknroll Runa A was moved to the lead in the early going by Stalbaum, who sat behind his stable’s star in Saturday’s $20,270 feature. The seven-year-old Rock N Roll Heaven gelding cruised unopposed through a first half in :57.1, but was challenged past three-quarters by Pickup Man Hanover (Shawn Gray), who popped the pocket to take on the favoured leader around the final turn. Rocknroll Runa A proved up to the task as he stopped the timer in 1:53.3 to win the season’s first Open. Pickup Man Hanover settled for second best while Seventh Secret (Jimmy Devaux) earned the show spot.
After starting the year with three starts at Batavia Downs, Rocknroll Runa A paid $3.50 to win in his Saratoga return and led an exacta and triple that returned $17 and $86.50, respectively.
Stalbaum completed a Saturday night double when his Crockets Cullen N prevailed in a $14,189 race for conditioned pacers. A former Pacer of the Year at the Spa, Crockets Cullen N made the first start of his 13-year-old season a winning one as he proved an impressive nearly three-length winner in a mile clocked in 1:55.
Live harness racing continues on Sunday afternoon with a matinee that begins at noon.
(With files from Saratoga Casino Hotel)