With no Open Trot on the docket, a $17,808 trotting event served as the Monday, July 14 afternoon feature at Saratoga Casino Hotel. But Why drew the rail as he dropped out of the Open and scored on the drop and pop to take the Monday feature.
The Scott Mongeon-trained high-stepper was the 4-5 betting favourite and had Mark Beckwith at the controls as he yielded in the early going to fellow Open dropper Coventry Hall (Jacob Cutting) who set fast fractions of :27.4 and :56.4 in the first half. As But Why rode the coattails of the leader, Send It In Hanover (Wally Hennessey) took his shot on the outside of Coventry Hall, who withstood the pressure from Send It In Hanover before succumbing to the bid in the passing lane from But Why, who came on to win in 1:55.3.
The victory was the eighth on the season in 18 starts for But Why, who led an exacta with Coventry Hall second that returned $12 while the triple rounded out by Send It In Hanover paid $17 (on a $2 wager).
The winning four-year-old gelded son of Crazy Wow-Porque is owned by Steve and Laura Stewart of Petersburgh, New York.
Live harness racing continues on Tuesday, July 15 with a first post set for 12 p.m.
(With files from Saratoga Casino Hotel)