With no Open Trot on the card, the $12,500 Winners Over served as the feature on Sunday afternoon (March 3) at Saratoga Casino Hotel.
The six-horse field did feature last week’s Open winner, Aberforth, who was assigned the outside post after having scored the upset in career-best fashion at odds of 39-1 last Sunday. This week, the early speed in the race came from The Royal Harry (driven by Billy Dobson), who built an imposing lead before tiring in the race’s final quarter.
CR Blazin Beauty (Bruce Aldrich Jr.) got the first crack at the fading leader while Aberforth (Frank Coppola Jr.) closed in as well. CR Blazin Beauty struck the lead in the stretch and had just enough to hold off the late charge of the favourite before stopping the timer in 1:57.3 to record the mild upset.
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CR Blazin Beauty (pictured on the inside with Bruce Aldrich Jr.) victorious at Saratoga Casino Hotel on March 3, 2019
CR Blazin Beauty scored at odds of 6-1 and completed a big week for her connections, as owners Blindswitch Racing Stable and trainer Jose Godinez teamed up with Aldrich for a pair of victories on both Thursday afternoon and Saturday night at Saratoga.
CR Blazin Beauty paid $14.20 to win and led an exacta with Aberforth that returned $31.80. The triactor, which was bottomed out by The Royal Harry, returned $105.50.
Live racing at Saratoga will resume at Wednesday afternoon at 12:00 p.m. first post. There will be a $5,000 guaranteed Pick Five pool on Wednesday as well as a Race 5 $25,000 guarantee in the ‘triple’ pool.
(With files from Saratoga Casino Hotel)