Lanjo Lee stepped up into the $17,000 Open Pace and scored at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Saturday night (June 3).
Favourite Belmont Major N worked hard in the early going carving out first-half fractions of :26.4 and :56.1 before being confronted by Lanjo Lee, who powered up alongside the leader. From there, it was on. Belmont Major N and Lanjo Lee traded strides for nearly an entire half-mile before Lanjo Lee imposed his will in the stretch to stop the timer in 1:52. The win time matched the fastest for any horse at Saratoga in the 2023 campaign. Belmont Major N wound up as the runner-up in the Open for the second consecutive week while Nuttin But Finesse earned the show spot.
Lanjo Lee, who is owned by Gordon Swift of Bath, New York, paid $6.50 to win and led an exacta and triple that returned $26.60 and $83, respectively.
Live harness racing continues on Sunday afternoon, with a first post time of 12 p.m. (EDT).
(with files from Saratoga Casino Hotel)