The betting public was all over This Is The Plan in Saturday’s $260,000 Joe Gerrity, Jr. Memorial Pace at Saratoga Casino Hotel, but McWicked unleashed a strong, late rally and rained on his rival’s parade.
This Is The Plan shot to the top from Post 4 for driver Yannick Gingras, and that pair led the group through first half fractions of :26.3 and :55.4. The Wall was on the move going to the half, and glued to his cover were Brian Sears and McWicked.
This Is The Plan and The Wall butted heads to the three-quarter pole in 1:23.1, with McWicked keeping the top two in his scope as the field headed to the top of the stretch. When Sears flipped the switch on McWicked to kick off cover he complied in a big way and stormed home in :27 to win by a half-length margin over This Is The Plan in 1:50.4. None Bettor A tagged along to finish third, with fourth prize going to Jimmy Freight.
Casie Coleman trains the eight-year-old son of Mcardle-Western Sahara for Ed James’ S S G Stables of North Boston, NY. It was the second win of the season for the classy pacer who won Horse of the Year honours on both sides of the border last season. The 36-time winner hiked his lifetime earnings to $4,369,366 with the win.
Trainer Coleman told Trot Insider that McWicked will now get a week off before heading back to The Meadowlands on Hambletonian Day for the Sam McKee Memorial.