Bit Of A Legend N and driver Jordan Stratton pulled off a 15-1 upset with a late-closing victory in the ninth annual $260,000 Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial Pace on Saturday night (July 22) at Saratoga Casino Hotel and Raceway.
The Gerrity began with multiple horses leaving the gate and jockeying for early position into a :26.4 opening quarter. With the inside posts, Boston Red Rocks (Brett Miller) made front first ahead of All Bets Off (Matt Kakaley), but Somewhere In L A (Jason Bartlett) was on the move early from third. Meanwhile, 9-5 favourite Sintra (Jody Jamieson) and post eight leaver Keystone Velocity (Simon Allard) were caught outside in the early going.
Somewhere In L A took over command in front of the grandstand with Sintra hot on his heels to challenge on the way to the half-mile mark in :54.3. Those two continued their battle on the front through three-quarters in 1:21.2 while the backfield fanned out wide turning for home.
Bit Of A Legend N closed widest of all in the stretch outside of Mach It So (David Miller), who edged out Boston Red Rocks and Somewhere In L A for the runner-up role. Bit Of A Legend N, who was a runner-up in last year's Gerrity to 1:51 winner Wiggle It Jiggleit, won the 2017 edition in a lifetime-best 1:50.3.
He returned $32.20 to his backers at the betting windows.
Peter Tritton trains the eight-year-old son of Bettors Delight and Sokys Legend for the Harry Von Knoblauch Stable of San Diego, California.
The win was Bit Of A Legend N's fourth of the year from 15 starts and 37th lifetime pushing his bankroll to $1.76 million.
The 14-race program featured a track record performance by Funknwaffles (sired by American Ideal) in the New York Sire Stakes as he became the fastest three-year-old pacer in track history by prevailing in 1:50.4. Corey Callahan drove the speedster for trainer John Butenshoen and Crawford Farms Racing of Syracuse, New York.
Other $44,000-plus NYSS division winners included Heavens Gait (David Miller, 1:51.3), Uffizi (David Miller, 1:51.4) and Chip Walther (Marcus Miller, 1:53.1).
Also, the fastest local trotting time and pacing time of the year were set on Saturday as Gural Hanover (Matt Kakaley) trotted to victory in 1:54 and Luck Be Withyou (Brett Miller) scored in 1:49.2, the third fastest time in track history on what was a sensational night of racing at Saratoga.
Live racing continues on Tuesday evening featuring New York Sire Stakes action with first post time set for 7:05 p.m.
(With files from Saratoga Casino Hotel)