Saratoga Casino Hotel hosted a special evening card of harness racing on Friday, June 7 due to the historic Belmont Stakes across the street at the flat track, and trainer Jaymes Mcassey stole the show with four winners.
Mcassey harnessed six entries for the evening card, meeting four in the winner's circle in addition to a third and fourth-place finish.
Ronaldo N (pictured above with Wally Hennessey) was the first up to the plate in a $9,932 conditioned pace, leading every step of the mile en route to a three-quarter length score in 1:53.3. Delpozo Scwartz Paoleti LLC owns the eight-year-old gelded son of Alta Christiano - Heavenly Bliss. He returned $3.50 to win.
Heart Of Rock (Hennessey) doubled the score as a gate-to-wire victor by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:56.3 in the $13,014 conditioned pace. Michael Milazzo owns the five-year-old Pet Rock - All Heart Gal gelding. As the even-odds favourite, he returned $4.00 to win.
Following a similar trip to his stablemates, Mixed Emotion (Jordan Derue) led his class of eight in the claiming pace worth $8,219 throughout the mile to go on to win by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:55.3. Olivia Derue, Anthony Ciuffetelli, FBP Racing Stable LLC, and Kaplideo Singh co-own the four-year-old gelded son of Real Desire - Campside Angel. He returned $7.30 as the 3-1 second choice.
Completing the quartet of triumphs and the evening card action, American Rebel (Billy Dobson) won the $6,849 conditioned pace wire-to-wire by three quarters of a length in 1:57.3. William Emmons owns the seven-year-old American Ideal - Restive Hanover. He paid $3.00 to win.
Ahi Sunshine prevailed in the $20,548 Winners Over/Open Handicap Pace with Hennessey in the bike for trainer Jackie Greene.
The Bird Dance N (Chris Long) set up as the pacesetter for the mile while Hennessey and Ahi Sunshine took back to fifth. After the opening mark in :26.2, Hennessey tugged on his right line and sent Ahi Sunshine first over. Chipping away at the lead through fractions in :56 and 1:24.1, Ahi Sunshine took over the control of the timer from the outside before the three quarter pole. With a :28.2 last quarter, Ahi Sunshine rolled home to win by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:52.3. Heaven On High N (Larry Stalbaum) followed his cover to take second and Little Willy (Brett Beckwith) used a third over journey to take the show spot.
Janie Kellogg owns the four-year-old son of Sunshine Beach - Racey Miss. Ahi Sunshine notched his fifth win of the season in 14 starts and moved his career record to 12-7-3 from 43 starts, boasting $192,965 in purses. He paid $8.10 as the 3-1 second choice on the board.
As the festivities continue for the third leg of the thoroughbred Triple Crown in Saratoga Springs, racing at the Saratoga harness track resumes on Saturday, June 8 with a 5 p.m. first post time. There is no Sunday matinee card this week and the final day of racing for the weekend will take place on Monday, June 10 with a 12 p.m. first post.
(Saratoga Casino Hotel)