Riverofroyalty won the award for Three-Year-Old Trotter of the Year at Saratoga Casino Hotel in 2016. On Friday night, the Dave Spagnola-trained high-stepper made her seasonal debut in the evening’s $7,500 co-feature for New York-sired trotters.
The four-year-old RC Royalty mare sat back patiently throughout as her main rivals battled it out. Driver Frank Coppola Jr. activated Riverofroyalty around the three-quarter pole and she picked off horses one by one before winning a photo with Intensify (Phil Fluet), stopping the timer in 2:02.3.
Riverofroyalty paid $9.10 in her first win of the year as she bested Intensify and third-place finisher Cuda Hall (Pat Curtin).
She is owned and was bred by Our Blue Streaks Stable and Spagnola.
Coppola won the other half of the co-features as well with Jackie Greene’s Buff (sired by Credit Winner), who recorded his first local victory on Friday, prevailing in 2:01 on another cold March night in the Spa City.
Live racing continues on Saturday night at Saratoga with a first post time of 6:45 p.m.
(With files from Saratoga Casino Hotel)