Favourites thrived in the $9,000 co-features for New York-sired trotters at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Wednesday afternoon (Sept. 18).
After a 1:57.2 win last week with Frank Coppola Jr. in the sulky, Lucky June Bug was once again on the front end and felt very little pressure in the early going. The three-year-old son of Lucky Chucky had long shot Royal Lady (Mark Beckwith) sitting on his back throughout the mile. That 30-1 outsider took her shot at the favourite in the stretch, but had to settle for second-best as Lucky June Bug stopped the timer in 1:57.4 for his sixth victory in a row and ninth in 15 starts in 2019 for trainer Chip Zombick Jr. Though Lucky June Bug was the race’s 4-5 favourite, the exacta with Royal Lady second paid $78.50.
The other $9,000 co-feature went the way of another odds-on favourite. Alek Chartrand’s Halliama (Conway Hall) sat the pocket and blasted by his race’s front-runner in the final furlong before trotting away to score in 1:58.1. The sophomore trotter is now five for 11 this season, leading up to a try in this Saturday night’s (Sept. 21) Excelsior A Final when he will go for a purse of $55,000.
Live racing continues on Thursday afternoon (Sept. 19) at Saratoga, with first post time set for 12 noon.
(Saratoga Casino Hotel)