Wishing Barefoot won the $20,270 Open Trot at Saratoga Casino Hotel for the first time this season when the Scott Mongeon trainee parlayed his Thursday, Aug. 29 pocket ride to an upset victory.

Mongeon teamed up with fellow Saratoga Harness Hall of Famer Brian Cross, who sat behind Wishing Barefoot as he rode the coattails of longshot leader Gigfy (Alek Chartrand). Gigfy cruised unopposed through a first half in :57.3 and felt very little pressure until coming to the top of the stretch when Cross tipped Wishing Barefoot out of the two-hole. The Mongeon trainee roared past the longtime leader to take command mid-stretch and draw away to win by a length and a quarter, stopping the timer in 1:56.3 for his third win of the 2024 campaign.

Gigfy was second at odds of 11-1 while the favoured Pay Me To Knight (Doug Maura) was late on the scene to finish third.

A son of Wishing Stone - Barefoot Brook, Wishing Barefoot paid $19.80 to win in the upset and led an exacta and triple that returned $136.50 and $524, respectively. The winner is owned in partnership by Chuck Harrison and Fred Barthelmas both of New York. 

Live harness racing continues on Friday, Aug. 30 with a first post time of 5 p.m. 

(Saratogs Casino Hotel)