Exarch has become a force in the Open Trot at Saratoga Casino Hotel in recent months and on Tuesday afternoon, the six-year-old won the $14,000 feature for the third time.
Jimmy Devaux pilots the John Gerow-trained trotter who went coast-to-coast in 1:56.2. After working hard to get to the top in a :27.3 first quarter, Exarch got a big-time breather in the middle half and reached three-quarters in 1:27.2. Pocket-sitter Gigfy (Alek Chartrand) rode the coattails of the winner before coming up second best while Cash Me Out (Phil Fluet), who won the previous two weeks’ Opens, finished third.
Exarch, who is owned by Fortune Valley Stables of Ballston Spa, N.Y., now has six wins this season and has hit the board in 14 of 18 starts in 2021. The winner was the even-money favourite in the feature and led an exacta and triple that paid $17.40 and $38.60, respectively. Devaux piloted a pair of winners on Tuesday to add to his track-leading tally for the 2021 campaign.
Live harness racing continues on Wednesday afternoon at Saratoga with a 15-race matinee that starts at 12:00 p.m. New York Sire Stakes action will be featured as three-year-old colt and gelding pacers will take centre stage.
(Saratoga)