Artful Way won the Saturday feature at Saratoga for the seventh time this season.
The Jackie Rousse trainee moved out to the early lead in Saturday’s $16,000 Open Pace and the four-year-old would not be denied. Enjoying a breakout year in 2016, Artful Way went coast to coast on a chilly autumn evening in the Spa City.
Driver Frank Coppola Jr. gave Artful Way a :28.4 second quarter breather after cruising through a first panel in 27 seconds flat. After putting up a first half in :55.4, Saratoga’s favourite to be Pacer of the Year posted a matching second half en route to victory in 1:51.3. BJs Guy (Bruce Aldrich Jr.) closed sharply for second while Respectable Dream (Mark Beckwith) earned the show spot.
The race’s favourite, Givenupdreaming (Stephane Bouchard), was tasked with trying to go last to first in the feature, but despite a late surge, didn’t get close to the top few finishers and had to settle for fifth.
Artful Way was surprisingly dismissed at odds of 6-1 and returned $14.80 to win. The exacta paid $56 while the triple came back $248.
The son of Artistic Fella is owned by Kellogg Racing Stables.
Coppola Jr., who has surged into a big lead in the driver standings, piloted four winners on the Saturday card.
(With files from Saratoga)