Trainer Andy Sardella has seen a stable star emerge for him this season as Northern Luxury has gone on a springtime tear at Saratoga Casino Hotel.
Northern Luxury rattled off five consecutive victories spanning the month of May and heading into June. The five-year-old Bettors Delight mare graduated out of the class of her dominance and wound up getting parked the mile the following week. On Monday (June 27), Northern Luxury drew post three for her try in the $12,500 feature for fillies and mares.
Regular reinsman Phil Fluet sat behind the Sardella-trained distaffer and got a cover trip with her on Monday. The 2-1 second-choice in the wagering tracked down the favourite, who was on the front end, en route to her ninth victory in 15 seasonal starts. Longshot So Diva (Chris Long) closed up the inside to finish second while the favoured American Tour N (Wally Hennessey) held on to finish third. Northern Luxury paid $6.90 to win as she stopped the timer in 1:54.3 for owner Billy Grass of Greenfield, Massachusetts.
Sardella completed a training double on Monday when his HS Shauna went coast-to-coast with Chris Long in the sulky. HS Shauna’s win, her fifth of the season, was clocked in 1:55.4 in a $9,000 event for claiming pacing mares. HS Shauna is owned by Mike and Bill Pozefsky of New York.
Live harness racing resumes on Saturday evening at Saratoga with a first post time of 5 p.m.
(With files from Saratoga)