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)