Dewhurst, Devaux Dominate At Saratoga

It was a monster Monday at Saratoga Casino Hotel for trainer Dave Dewhurst, who swept the two series finals contested on the matinee card en route to five total winners on the day.

Primo Uomo was the public’s overwhelming betting favourite in Monday’s $39,400 Dr. Richard Frank Memorial Pace after secure victories in all three legs that led up to the final. Primo Uomo wasted little time making the front in the Doc Frank Memorial and had little difficulty going coast-to-coast in a career-best 1:54.1 to complete his series sweep. Longshot Aces Or Bettor (Mitch Cushing) won a place photo in the series’ conclusion while Astaires Arsenal (Billy Dobson), a two-leg winner in the series, earned the show spot.

The victory was the 10th of the year already in just 12 seasonal tries for the three-year-old son of Heston Blue Chip.  Primo Uomo is owned by Chris and Dale Lawton of New York.

Dewhurst didn’t have much time to celebrate his big win in the Doc Frank Memorial as Primo Uomo’s stablemate City Of Hope (sired by Mets Hall) took to the track as the favourite in the John Mongeon Sr. Memorial Trotting Series in the race that followed the pacing final.

City Of Hope wound up as the 3-5 favourite in the wagering after winning consecutive times after making a leg-one break. Dewhurst’s regular reinsman Jimmy Devaux was at the controls and was content to get a pocket ride with City of Hope, who pursued major danger Bourbon On Ice (John Stark Jr.) every step of the way. City Of Hope powered out of the two-hole on Monday to secure the biggest win of his young career when he stopped the timer in 1:58.3 to complete a five-win day for Dewhurst, who co-owns City Of Hope with Philip Hale of New Hartford, New York.

Devaux sat behind all five members of the Monday five-bagger for the veteran conditioner and added another pair of victories to his tally for the day, piloting seven winners in total on the matinee program.

Live harness racing continues on Tuesday afternoon and features the $38,800 Virginia O’Brien Memorial Pacing Series final for fillies and mares. First post time for the matinee card is set for 12 p.m.

(Saratoga Casino Hotel)