Bluffinner sprung the big time upset in the main event on Thursday, Aug. 8 at Saratoga Casino Hotel, the $20,833 Open Trot.
Jordan Derue flashed a little bit of early speed from post four with his stable’s trotting star to land him in third in the early going in a race which saw its first lap trotted in :57.2 by Remember Titans (Wally Hennessey) over a track labeled ‘sloppy.’ Bluffinner made his move heading to the three-quarter pole and he wasted very little time in overpowering the weary leader before taking off to open up an insurmountable lead around the final turn.
Discus Hanover (Jimmy Devaux) slid out of the pocket behind the leader and came on to take over second in the stretch but posed little threat to Bluffinner, who trotted away to prevail by almost three lengths in a mile clocked in 1:56.4. Discus Hanover secured the second spot while the 6-5 favourite Echo De Meautis FR (Brett Beckwith) came on late to finish third.
Bluffinner’s win was his fifth in the 2024 campaign but just his first in the Open Trot after enjoying success in the local feature for trotters through a six-figure campaign last year. He paid $51.50 in Thursday’s upset score and led an exacta and triple that returned $105 and $984, respectively. The Open winner is owned in partnership by trainer Derue and the FBP Racing Stable.
Live harness racing continues on Friday, Aug. 9 with a first post time of 5 p.m.
(Saratoga Casino Hotel)