There was a pair of mild upsets in the two series finals that took place on Saturday night at Saratoga Casino Hotel.
The Virginia O’Brien and J P Morel Memorial Pacing Series reached their conclusion on Saturday with two horses who each drew post position one in their respective events winding up in the winner's circle.
Eight fillies and mares battled it out for their share of the $27,500 purse in the Virginia O’Brien Final and while B B Royale (Stephane Bouchard) was the race’s 3-5 favourite, it was Shesnobeachboy (Frank Coppola Jr.) who prevailed in 1:57.1 after a first over journey. The Dave Spagnola-trained Shesnobeachboy returned $9.50 to win as she bested runner-up Stormin Spree (Mark Beckwith) while Southwind Marilyn (Billy Dobson) finished third. The four-year-old daughter of Dave Panlone is owned by Stephen Picarazzi.
Brigadoon (Billy Dobson) was the 1-5 betting favourite in the J P Morel Memorial Pacing Series Final and wound up second-best as the race’s front-runner Hillbillycashflow held on to win it in 1:56.2. Jimmy Devaux piloted Hillbillycashflow for trainer Heidi Rohr and Brian Henkel Stable. The four-year-old Cams Card Shark gelding coasted along unopposed in a slow first half of 59 seconds before holding off the late charge of Brigadoon to win by a head. Hillbillycashflow returned $15 to win. Brigadoon had to settle for second in the $27,100 final while Wishes In The Rain (Bruce Aldrich Jr.) earned the show spot.
Whogoesfirst was a 29-1 upset winner in the weekly $15,000 Open Handicap Pace, contested at a distance of 1-1/16 miles. Sent off as longest shot on the board in rein to Stephane Bouchard, the eight-year-old Cambest gelding came from off-the-pace to score his first win of the year from 13 starts in 1:59.4 for trainer Luanne Case and co-owner S And P Racing Stable. The win payout was $61. Jk Panache (Bruce Aldrich Jr.) came on to finish second, a length and a quarter behind, and Panocchio (Gerald Mattison) was third.
(With files from Saratoga Casino Hotel)