Saratoga Springs, NY — Hudson Phil (Shanghai Phil) became the second horse to win the Open Pace as many as three times this season at Saratoga Casino Hotel when the youngster went coast-to-coast on Saturday night (May 25).

Hudson Phils won the feature at Saratoga in a career clocking of 1:50.2. Melissa Simser-Iovino Photo.

Hudson Phil joined his stablemate Artful Way as the only three-time Open Pace winners this year and did so in career-best fashion. Jay Randall piloted the Jackie Greene trainee and moved him out to the early lead in the $15,000 installment of the Open Pace.

Hudson Phil never faced an anxious moment as he coasted to the wire-to-wire win in 1:50.2, a career-best clocking for the 4-year-old pacer. Victorious in an Open at Plainridge last month, the rising star was the 6-5 betting favorite in Saturday’s score as he recorded his fourth victory of 2019.

Carolina Beach (Mark Beckwith) closed to be second while Deetzy (Shawn Gray) earned the show spot. The exacta and triple with the favorite on top returned $24.20 and $91.50, respectively. Hudson Phil, who is a new addition to the Open at the Spa this year, has become a force in the first few months of the season and has accounted for three of the six Open Pace victories for Jackie Greene trainees in ’19.

The win was the 15^th in just 46 career starts for the up-and-coming pacer who appears to be hitting his prime. The clocking of 1:50.2 is the fastest for any horse thus far this season at Saratoga. Hudson Phil is owned by the Kellogg Racing Stables of Queensbury, NY.

Live racing continues on Sunday afternoon with a matinee starting at Noon.