At odds of just 5-1, Slip The Hundy N was the longest shot on the board in the $20,270 Open Handicap Pace on Saturday night, Sept. 28 at Saratoga Casino Hotel.
The Rob Harmon trainee was making his debut in the local Open when he started from post position two following a scratch. In the field reduced to five, Slip The Hundy N was aggressively moved out to the early lead by driver Jay Randall, who had piloted the seven-year-old son of Lincoln Royal to his previous victory when competing at Plainridge Park last month. Slip The Hundy N rattled off fast first-half fractions of :26.3 and :56.1 before being met with a challenge from Little Willy (Brett Beckwith).
Slip The Hundy N dug in when threatened and checked in at three-quarters in 1:24.4 before being confronted late by last week’s Open winner, the race’s favourite Pickup Man Hanover (Wally Hennessey). That one’s surge saw him come up second-best as Slip The Hundy N would not be denied, stopping the timer in 1:53.2 with a half-length to spare. Pickup Man Hanover was the runner-up for the third time in his last five tries in the Saturday feature while Little Willy rounded out the trifecta.
Slip The Hundy N paid $12.80 to win as the "longshot" and led an exacta and triple that returned $47 and $113, respectively.
Slip The Hundy N, who has won eight of his 26 races this year, is owned by Mike Casalino Jr. of Freehold, New Jersey.
Live harness racing continues on Sunday at Saratoga with a matinee that begins at noon.
(With files from Saratoga Casino Hotel)