Ulster (by Glidemaster) has been the king of the Open Trot at Saratoga Casino Hotel this year. The Amanda Facin trainee established himself late last season as an Open threat, and it was apparent early on in the 2018 campaign that he would be a force among the track’s top trotters this year.
Ulster won the first Open Trot of the season at ‘the Spa’ back in February and recorded three wins in the track’s first four features for high-steppers this year. Though his last win in the Open came back in April, the veteran trotter had five Open wins to his credit in ‘18 when he went off as the odds-on betting favourite on Tuesday (Aug. 7).
Jay Randall is the regular pilot for Ulster, and on Tuesday the veteran reinsman powered the favourite out to the early lead in the track’s $14,500 feature. The seven-year-old cruised through first-half fractions of :28.1 and :57.4 before clicking off three quarters in 1:26.1. Under just mild Randall urging, Ulster drew away to win by three lengths in 1:55.1 for his sixth Open score of the season.
Ulster, pictured victorious at Saratoga Casino Hotel on August 7, 2018 (Melissa Simser-Iovino)
Yonkers invader Madman Hall (driven by Ray Schnittker) overcame a tough first-over journey to finish second, while Crazycat (Bruce Aldrich Jr.) earned the show spot.
With still a ton of racing left to be done in the 2018 campaign at the Spa, not only is Ulster the front-runner for the track’s Trotter of the Year, but may well be a contender for its Horse of the Year, as well.
Live racing at the Spa will continue on Wednesday night (Aug. 8) with a first post time of 7:05 p.m.
(Saratoga Casino Hotel)