Artful Way prevailed in the Open Pace for the third time in the last four weeks on Saturday, May 28 at Saratoga Casino Hotel.
The Jackie Rousse trainee got away last in the $15,000 six-horse Open on a hot night in the Spa City. Frank Coppola Jr. got a cover trip for Artful Way as the four-year-old pacer followed the race’s 4-5 betting favourite Panocchio (Gerry Mattison), who wound up first over after the first half was paced in :55.2 by Spinarama (Austin Siegelman). Artful Way fanned off his cover and reeled in Panocchio in the final strides before stopping the timer in 1:52.1, matching the fastest mile time of the year thus far at Saratoga. Panocchio wound up second-best while Caution Signs (Bruce Aldrich Jr.) earned the show spot.
Artful Way paid $13.60 to win while pulling off the mild upset. The exacta returned $32.80 with the favourite finishing second and the race’s triple came back $102.
The win was the fourth in nine starts in 2016 for Artful Way, who scored 10 victories in 25 seasonal starts in ’15. The son of Artistic Fella is owned by Kellogg Racing Stables.
(With files from Saratoga)