Bluffinner, one of the top trotters at Saratoga Casino Hotel last year, scored his first win of the 2025 season in the $21,429 Open Handicap Trot featured on Monday afternoon, Feb. 24.
The veteran high-stepper enjoyed a nine-win campaign in 2024 when he earned more than $120,000. Jordan Derue trains, drives and co-owns Bluffinner, who began his eight-year-old season with back-to-back fourth-place finishes in the Open before his successful Monday attempt.
Derue moved Bluffinner out to the lead from post six by the quarter, clocked in :28, and kept his rivals at bay through middle splits of :59.4 and 1:29.1 en route to the victory in a modest 1:59.2 time on a slightly warmer afternoon in Saratoga. The Derue trainee paid $13.40 to
win for the mild 5-1 upset. City Of Hope (Jimmy Devaux) sat the pocket to finish second, beaten less than a length, while the favourite and defending Saratoga Horse of the Year, By The Book (Jay Randall), closed from the back of the seven-horse field to earn the show spot in his 2025 debut.
Bluffinner, a gelded son of Credit Winner and Bluff, is co-owned by Derue and FBP Racing Stable of Hinsdale, New Hampshire. The career winner of 33 races bumped his earnings to $437,085 while winning his 150th start.
Live harness racing continues on Tuesday at Saratoga with a first post time of 12 p.m. There will be a Pick 5 carryover of $3,722 starting in the matinee’s first race.
(With files from Saratoga Casino Hotel; photo of Bluffinner from a previous win)