Take A Gamble best on Saratoga opening day

It was opening day for the 2023 campaign on Saturday evening (Feb. 4) and an eleven-race card got the harness racing season started on a cold night at Saratoga Casino Hotel.

Invader Take A Gamble (Bettor’s Delight) came to town off back-to-back wins in 1:52 at Yonkers and drew the outside post in the $18,200 Open Pace on Saturday. Leon Bailey piloted the Jared Bako-trained pacer who cut the mile in the season’s first feature.

Leading in a first half of 56.4, Take A Gamble was met with the challenge of Spa first timer Rocknroll Runa A (Larry Stalbaum) when got past the leader turning for home. In the stretch though, Take A Gamble rallied back and reclaimed the lead late in the mile before hitting the wire first in 1:54.2.

Longshot Optical Illusion N (Chris Long) shook loose in the lane and charged hard to be second while Rocknroll Runa A tired late and wound up as the third-place finisher in the Open.

TAKE A GAMBLE REPLAY

Take A Gamble, who is owned by Stephen Klunowski of Ontario, Canada, paid $6.40 as the race’s favorite and led an exacta and triple that returned $112 and $424, respectively.

Live racing will take place on both Sunday and Monday afternoon with first post time set for noon for each of the matinees.

For complete race results, click here.

by Mike Sardella, for Saratoga Raceway