Driver Phil Fluet landed No Ordinary Man in the winner's circle of the $4,800 featured pace at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Tuesday (Aug. 4).
Trained by Meg Reynolds, No Ordinary Man had spent most of his post-shutdown time in the Open Pace, a level in which he was maybe a bit overmatched. After drawing post 8 off the drop last week, No Ordinary Man got more class relief on Tuesday and subsequently was the public’s 1-2 betting favourite.
Although he had to work hard to get to the lead in a race that was hotly contested at the start, the four-year-old gelding proved up to the task, fending off rival Itsonlyrocknroll A, who—despite being parked from the get-go—fought gamely alongside No Ordinary Man throughout the mile. No Ordinary Man stopped the timer in 1:56 over a track rated "sloppy" on a rainy day in Saratoga Springs.
The victory was the fifth of the year for the young pacer who is owned by Daniel Gagliardi and Stuart Feintuck but the first since the return from the quarantine shutdown.
Fluet also catch-drove 17-1 longshot Amazing Amanda to victory for trainer Linda Flynn on Tuesday as well as he recorded driving doubles in back-to-back days to begin his week.
Live racing continues on Wednesday evening (Aug. 5) at Saratoga starting at 7:15 p.m. (EDT). New York Sire Stakes take center stage as three-year-old trotting colts are featured in the first half of the race card. There is a Pick-5 carryover of $3,959 on Wednesday with the Pick 5 beginning in the evening’s first race.
(Saratoga Casino Hotel)