A charge down the stretch and a blanket finish highlighted the featured $15,000 Winners Over/Open Handicap Trot on Sunday (April 28) at Saratoga Casino Hotel with Snowpiercer (Muscle Mass) reigning victorious among his harness racing foes.
Summit City Sonny (Leon Bailey) took the early lead and controlled the tempo throughout the mile while favored Snowpiercer (Brett Beckwith) got away fifth. After an opening panel in :28, Beckwith tipped the Jackie Greene student first over to the outside, hitting fourth at the :58 half and second at the 1:27.3 three-quarters.
Snowpiercer landed on top at the head of the stretch, but he was not alone with a wall of challengers surrounding him. A sprint to the wire was all that was left to decide the Sunday feature winner and Snowpiercer overcame all six with their hats in the ring to win by a head in 1:57.1. Malibu Kid (Larry Stalbaum) followed a second over journey behind Snowpiercer to take second by a narrow margin and Comeonover Hanover (Billy Dobson) completed the show in a photo finish.
Janie Kellogg owns the four-year-old who earned his fifth win in eight starts this year and his 10th win from 39 career starts. He has put away $298,580 in earnings. He returned $5.60 as the 2-1 bettors’ choice.
SNOWPIERCER REPLAY
Racing at The Spa continues Monday (April 29) with 14 races slated for the matinee card beginning at 12 p.m.
For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.
by Jessica Hallett, for Saratoga Raceway