Casa Miasa Steps Up At Saratoga
Casa Miasa was named this week as one of the nominees for Filly and Mare Claiming Pacer of the Year at Saratoga Casino Hotel.
The Evan Hoagland trainee spent a chunk of her season competing in claimers but in recent weeks has gone on a tear while racing in the conditional ranks. Casa Miasa has pulled off upsets in two of the three starts heading into Friday night’s try in the $14,000 Winners Over for fillies and mares. After coming from off the pace to win at odds of 18-1 and 20-1, Casa Miasa vaulted into top-flight competition and on Friday proved more than capable.
With last week’s Open winner Culinary Delight N (Larry Stalbaum) moving first-over while trying to go last to first, Casa Miasa slid out to pick up that one’s cover approaching the half-mile pole in Friday’s feature. Culinary Delight N cleared the lead around the final turn, but Casa Miasa just kept plugging away before surging by in the stretch to win in 1:55.2.
For driver Evan Hoagland, it was win number five locally this year and his sixth overall in 2018. The 22-year-old Hoagland just got his ‘A’ license and has thrived of late while piloting his trainee Casa Miasa, co-owned by Hoagland Racing LLC and John Millett Jr.
The six-year-old Driven To Win mare paid $48.70 to win in what was yet another upset score. Culinary Delight N finished second in the Friday feature while Bazooka Terror (Billy Dobson) earned the show spot. The exacta returned $482 while the triple came back $3,915.
Live racing continues on Saturday night at Saratoga featuring a Pick 5 carryover of $3,833. First post time is 6:45 p.m.
(With files from Saratoga)