Beckwith wins five including feature pace

Former Pacer of the Year Moonshine Kisses (Sunshine Beach) made his return to the harness racing winner’s circle on Saturday night (March 30) at Saratoga Casino Hotel, capturing the $15,000 Open Handicap Pace. Moonshine Kisses’s driver Bret Beckwith has a huge day, winning five races on the card.

The Jackie Greene trainee took home the award for the track’s top pacer in 2022 and followed up that incredible campaign with a fifteen-win ’23 season which saw him earn over $265,000 accrued in large part in out-of-town starts.

On Saturday, Moonshine Kisses was the 1-9 betting favorite and leading driver Brett Beckwith was content to back off a bit in the early going with the public’s top choice. After Primo Uomo (Jimmy Devaux) took the field to the half in :57.1, Moonshine Kisses made his move first-over before cruising past the leader and opening up late to win by two and a quarter lengths in a mile clocked in 1:53.3.

Primo Uomo finished second in a $10.40 exacta while Ronaldo N (Matt Athearn) finished third in a $77.50 triple.

Moonshine Kisses was one of two winners on the card for the Kellogg Racing Stables and Jackie Greene Stables who own and trainer Jackie Greene as their Im No Outlaw N went coast-to-coast in a $10,500 pace.

MOONSHINE KISSES REPLAY

Beckwith piloted both Greene trainees to their scores as part of a five-win evening for the 21-year-old reinsman who has had a sensational first two months of the 2024 racing season at the Spa.

Live racing resumes on Monday afternoon at Saratoga with a matinee that starts at noon. There will be a $1,874 carryover in the Pick Five which starts in the first race on Monday.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting Results

by Mike Sardella, for Saratoga Raceway