Summit City Sonny kept the good times rolling as he marked a fifth consecutive victory while taking the $17,000 Open Trot at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Sunday afternoon (March 19).
Driver Leon Bailey piloted Summit City Sonny aggressively, making a first-over move on Beerthirty K, who cruised through a comfortable first half of :58.3. Summit City Sonny didn’t seem to pose much of a threat to the leader as he clicked three-quarters in 1:27.1. But the Jesse McAssey trainee would not give in and just kept plugging away on the outside before wearing down Beerthirty K late in the game to prevail in his debut in the Open in 1:57.2. Beerthirty K was the runner-up while Big Box Hanover, the winner of the previous two installments of the Open Trot, came from the back of the pack to finish third on Sunday.
Summit City Sonny, who is owned by his trainer Jesse McAssey in partnership with Adam Friedland, paid $23.60 to win in the upset and led an exacta and triple that returned $76.50 and $278.50, respectively.
Live racing continues on Monday afternoon (March 20) at Saratoga with a matinee starting at 12 p.m. (EDT).
(with files from Saratoga Casino Hotel)