Off a stiff task from post 8 in the last preliminary, Perfect Vixen bounced back to post a decisive score at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Sunday (May 1) and stamp herself as the favourite heading into the John Mongeon Sr. Memorial Trotting Series Final. 

Stark wasted very little time moving Perfect Vixen — the 1-5 favourite — to the lead, where she never encountered an anxious moment before scoring in 1:56.3 to cement her role as the one to knock off heading into the Series Final next Sunday. Titan On the Rail closed well to be second and finished his legs of the series with a win and a pair of seconds. Gavinator earned the show spot.

In the other $10,000 division of the series’ third leg, Charlatan Hanover powered to the early lead and the leg two runner-up rolled to victory from there. Wally Hennessey piloted Charlatan Hanover to the front-running win as the Gary Levine trainee punched his ticket to the final behind a 1:58 score. The win was one of four on the afternoon for Hennessey.

Live racing continues on Monday afternoon (May 2) at Saratoga and will feature a Jackpot in the Pick 6 that sits at $6,358 beginning in Race 8. First post time is set for 12 p.m. (EDT).

(Saratoga Casino Hotel)