Titus Seelster utilized his tremendous early speed at the start of Saturday’s (August 6) feature at Saratoga Casino Hotel and then was able to sit back and watch as his rivals duked it out.

The Jackie Rousse-trained pacer sat the pocket in Saturday’s $15,000 Open Pace and waited patiently while front-running Sassy Hanover was met with several challenges. Respectable Dream (Austin Siegelman) was dismissed at 13-1 and fought gamely on the outside while wearing down the leader. All the while, the race’s odds-on favourite, Givenupdreaming (Stephane Bouchard), was making progress in his attempt to go last to first. Respectable Dream took the lead turning for home and while Givenupdreaming was flying on the outside, Titus Seelster snuck up the passing lane and proved fastest of all, stopping the timer in 1:52.3.

Titus Seelster returned $14.20 to win in the mild upset as he bested Respectable Dream, who was a more than respectable second in his debut in the local Open, and Givenupdreaming, who had to settle for third. The exacta and triple came back $187 and $910, respectively.

Titus Seelster was driven to his second local Open win of the year by Frank Coppola Jr. The five-year-old Artistic Fella gelding is owned by Kellogg Racing Stables Ll.

Live racing resumes on Tuesday night at Saratoga when three-yea- old colts and geldings take centre stage as part of the New York Sire Stakes. First post time is set for 7:05 p.m.

(With files from Saratoga)