But Why is showing that his award-winning 2025 campaign at Saratoga Casino Hotel was no fluke.
The Scott Mongeon trainee was named Saratoga's Trotter of the Year and Horse of the Year in ’25 and has come out strong to begin his five-year-old campaign.
On Monday, May 4, But Why and regular reinsman Jimmy DeVaux started from post position six in the six-horse Open Trot and got away. Fast fractions were set in lap one to the tune of :27.1 and 56 seconds while the track’s defending top trotter sat patiently in the back of the pack. Still last at the half-mile pole in the day's $24,324 feature event, But Why began to march overland before tipping three-wide as three-quarters was clocked in 1:25.4. Longshot Morning Edition (Wally Hennessey) shook free off the rail around the final turn as But Why continued to chip away at the race’s duelling leaders. But Why took over the lead in mid-stretch before stopping the timer in 1:57 to win the Open for the third time in six starts this season. Morning Edition was the runner-up to But Why while Ordained (Billy Dobson) earned the show spot in a close three-across finish.
Following his $200,000 campaign in 2025 that included 14 wins and nine other top three finishes from 32 races, But Why has hit the board in all six of his starts in the Open this year while banking just over $46,000 for owners Steven and Laura Stewart of Petersburgh, New York.
But Why paid $9.52 to win.
(With files from Saratoga Casino Hotel)