by Mike Sardella, for Saratoga Casino Hotel

Saratoga Springs, NY — With no Open Trot being contested on Sunday (Oct. 14), the $15,000 Winners Over Trot served as the feature on the matinee card. Many of the participants of the Winners Over were droppers from the Open so the race had the feel of a regular Sunday feature.

Melissa Simser-Iovino photo

Dragin The Wagon took the featured event at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Sunday afternoon.

Phil Fluet’s Dragin The Wagon (Angus Hall) had been the runner-up in the Open four times in his last six starts but the drop to Winners Over led to the end of his seconditis as the 8-year-old trotter went coast-to-coast in 1:55.1.

Dragin The Wagon utilizes his early speed pretty much weekly and did just that as he cruised to an easy lead on Sunday. Facing very little pressure in the middle half of the mile, Dragin The Wagon was met with the challenge of Cash Me Out (Mark Beckwith), another Open dropper, who powered up alongside the leader around the final turn. Those two squared off while pocket-sitter Wings Of Royalty (Shawn Gray), fresh off of being the favorite in the Open in back-to-back weeks, began to fade from the scene.

Dragin The Wagon dug in and held off Cash Me Out to record the victory while Wings Of Royalty earned the show spot. Dragin The Wagon paid $6.10 to win and led an exacta and triple that paid $25 and $79, respectively.

Live racing resumes on Thursday afternoon at Saratoga with a matinee beginning at 12:15 p.m.