Humble A captured the $24,658 Open Handicap Pace over a sloppy track on Saturday, May 9 in his second career start at Saratoga Casino Hotel.
The six-year-old son of American Ideal-Perfect Penny, who finished second from the pocket while making his Spa debut for trainer Melissa Beckwith last week, showed early speed from post six for Aaron Byron to again get a two-hole trip. Ahi Sunshine (Jimmy Devaux) set sizzling first-half fractions over the sloppy going of :26.4 and :56 before being confronted in the second lap by odds-on favourite Blazing Home N (Larry Stalbaum).
That five-time Saratoga Open winner in 2026 toughed it out overland past three-quarters in 1:23.4 before those two were joined by Humble A in the stretch. Humble A then reached past them both to post a half-length victory in 1:52.4. That trio was separated by a total of three-quarters of a length at the wire, with Blazing Home N second over Ahi Sunshine.
Humble A paid $7.88 to win in his fourth victory in 15 starts in the 2026 campaign. The winner, now 21-for-61 lifetime, is owned by William Hartt.
Quality Bud circled the field in the final quarter mile of the finale to earn his 50th career victory in a 15-1 upset. Wally Hennessey dropped the 13-year-old back to last from the outside post seven, stuck to the pylons through :29 and :59.3 early splits, then launched the gelding three-wide nearing three-quarters in 1:28.2. Quality Bud rocketed into third on the final turn, and he out-sprinted Silk Road Smash (Jacob Cutting) by three-quarters of a length for the milestone score in 1:57.4. Bettor Make A Wish (Kyle Swift) was third.
Quality Bud, a son of Quality Western-Rosebud Heather, was making his first start at Saratoga since 2017 as he raised his totals to 50 victories and $681,572 in earnings from 364 starts. Owned by My Buddy Stables since 2016, the gelding is one-for-13 this year. He paid $32.62 to win.
Live racing continues at Saratoga on Sunday with a matinee that begins at noon.
(Saratoga Raceway & Standardbred Canada)