With no Open Trot on the docket, there were co-features for Winners Over trotters on Sunday afternoon (March 27) at Saratoga Casino Hotel.

All eyes were on the track’s defending Trotter of the Year as Cash Me Out made just his second start of the season.

The Kyle Spagnola trainee was the 6-5 betting favourite in his division of the $13,000 Winners Over and wasted no time moving out to the lead. Driver Phil Fluet set comfortable fractions for Cash Me Out, who wound up powering away from his competition in the stretch before stopping the timer in 1:57.1 to record his first win of the year and 70th in his amazing career.

The 11-year-old Cash Hall gelding, who is owned by Mike Traylor of Ballston Spa, New York, is poised to head back into the Open in the coming weeks. On Sunday, he paid $4.50 to win.

The victory was one of two on the card for conditioner Kyle Spagnola.

The other division of the $13,000 co-features went to another horse who recorded his first victory of the 2022 campaign. Grinder (by Andover Hall) had been off since last May when he made his seasonal debut earlier this month. The six-year-old didn’t get his season off to the strongest start but on Sunday made a late move on dueling leaders before surging in the stretch.

Young reinsman Brett Beckwith moved Grinder just at the right time and the Amanda Kelley-trained trotter got up in the final stride to win by a head in 1:57.3. He paid $10.40 to win in the mild upset.

Grinder is owned by Scheigertandalliesracingllc LLC of Saratoga Springs, New York.

(Saratoga)