by Mike Sardella, for Saratoga Casino Hotel
Saratoga Springs, NY — Trainer Paul Kelley unveiled a trio of young filly trotters on Thursday afternoon (May 24) at Saratoga Casino Hotel.
Melissa Simser-Iovino photo
Fast Love cruised to a 1:59.4 score to break her maiden.
The top flight conditioner focuses mainly on young horses and thus hadn’t had any of his trainees compete at the Spa thus far this season before Thursday’s matinee card.
Kelley’s Byway (Muscle Mass) got his day started with a victory when the 3-year-old filly went coast-to-coast in 1:59.3 to break her maiden with Billy Dobson in the sulky.
The meet’s leading driver also piloted Kelley’s Fast Love (Chapter Seven) to a wire-to-wire win when she cruised to a 1:59.4 score to break her maiden.
Kelley looked for the Thursday hat trick when his The Russian Spy (Credit Winner) competed in a $7,500 non-winners of two races lifetime or $25,000 lifetime trot. The Kelley stable moved to three-for-three on the day when The Russian Spy jogged by open lengths in 1:57.3.
Kelley has his group of young trotters prepped and ready for New York Sire Stakes season which has just gotten underway. The first New York Sire Stakes to be contested at Saratoga will be on Sunday afternoon (May 27) when 3-year-old pacing fillies are featured on 15-race program.
Live racing continues at Saratoga on Friday night with a 6:45 p.m. first post.