Saratoga Springs, NY --- The 2-year-old pacing colts were featured at Saratoga Gaming and Raceway on Tuesday (August 31) as part of the New York Sire Stakes Late Closers. There were six $13,000-plus divisions for the freshman pacing colts and five were won by colts breaking their maiden.
Yacht King (Brian Cross) started out the evening as a 1:56 winner, parlaying a pocket trip to his first lifetime win. Gamblers Island matched the 1:56 time with a front running score as one of two winners in the Late Closers for driver Dan Cappello, Jr., who also piloted Sectionline Barack to his maiden win in front running fashion.
Quinnman (Billy Dobson) pulled off a minor upset as he tracked down the leader with a two hole journey for the second consecutive start, scoring in 1:57.2. Dan Daley’s Southwind Mario flew up the open stretch to overcome an early deficit to register his first lifetime win in 1:59.
The biggest longshot of the night came from the sixth and final Late Closer when Brian Mattison and A Major Haze pulled off a major upset, circling their rivals to record the upset at 38-1. The maiden win came in just the second start for the freshman Art Major colt who set a mark of 1:57.2 in the upset.
Live racing continues on Wednesday night with post time set for 7:20 p.m.