Saratoga Springs, NY — Circuit Party earned his fourth win in a row on Friday (Aug. 18) evening at Saratoga Casino Hotel. In similar fashion to his previous three wins, he had to race the majority of the mile from the outside, but this time in the top $18,200 Winners Over/Open Handicap Trot.

By The Book (Brian Cross) and Makadushin N Cheez (Jim Devaux) battled through the first turn for the lead. As the opening panel clocked :28.2, By The Book never found the rail and retreated to the pocket spot behind Makadushin N Cheez. Yucatan Party Man (Billy Dobson), also parked, led an outer charge through the half in :58.2. His efforts were followed by Circuit Party (Wally Hennessey), who sat fifth and 4-1/2 lengths off the leader. At the three-quarters in 1:27.2, Hennessey tipped three-wide with the Dan Cappello Jr. trainee and started chipping away at the distance between himself and the lead. Circuit Party challenged Makadushin N Cheez in the stretch and, after using a :28.2 last quarter, prevailed by three-quarters of a length in 1:56.3, achieving his first career Open victory. Malibu Kid (Matthew Athearn) rounded out the top three.

Circuit Party rose to the Open ranks in style, rolling from off the pace for a 1:56.3 victory. Jessica Hallett photo.

It was Circuit Party’s fourth win in five starts for owner Lisa Unltd. LLC and ninth victory of the season, yielding $70,751 in seasonal earnings. The 5-year-old Donato Hanover-Forever Home gelding moved his career bankroll to $95,209 from 10 wins. He paid $5.40 to win.

Hennessey completed a driving hat trick, winning with The Royal Poze ($5.50) in 1:56, for trainer Brett Derue, and Sir Ballykeel ($18.00) in 1:58, for trainer John Hallett.

Racing at Saratoga Casino Hotel resumes on Saturday (Aug. 19) with 15 races set to go to the gate starting with a first post of 6:45 p.m. The card features a $171,000 New York Sire Stakes race, three $20,000 NYSS Excelsior divisions, and an $18,200 Winners Over/Open Handicap Pace. In addition to the pari-mutuel card, a charity match race between harness driver Brett Beckwith and Thoroughbred jockey Flavien Prat is scheduled between races six and seven.