Saratoga Springs, NY — Control Tower put the finishing touches on a terrific Step Up To The Plate Claiming Series on Saturday night (April 8) at Saratoga Casino Hotel.

Control Tower went coast-to-coast in 1:56. Jessica Hallett photo.

Jared Bako claimed the veteran pacer out of the first leg of the series and saw the 11-year-old score victories in leg two and three heading into his try in the $33,100 Saturday final. Leading driver Jimmy Devaux sat behind Control Tower in his pair of wins leading up to the final in which he drew post seven in the eight-horse field.

Devaux again blasted Control Tower off the gate and surged him up into the early lead, a lead he would never relinquish. The Bako trainee went coast-to-coast in 1:56 to conclude a massively successful series for the claiming pacer. Longshot Father Ofthe Year (Shawn Gray), the only participant in the final to not have recorded a win in the three-leg series, closed well to finish second on Saturday while Nerve Of Steel N (Phil Fluet) earned the show spot.

Control Tower moved over the $500,000 mark in lifetime earnings with the win. He was the race’s 9-5 betting favorite and led an exacta and triple that paid $34.40 and $99, respectively.

Live racing resumes on Monday afternoon with a matinee that begins at noon.