Saratoga Springs, NY — Lake Charles continued what has been a terrific start to the season at Saratoga Casino Hotel for trainer Amanda Kelley when the 5-year-old son of Well Said won the featured $15,000 Open Pace on Saturday evening (May 21).

Leon Bailey powered Lake Charles to the front end and, despite posting first-half fractions of :27.1 and :56, had plenty left for the final half en route to a wire-to-wire 1:51.3 win. Somebeach Baron (Shawn Gray) sat the pocket and finished second while Mikibytheseaside (Jay Randall) earned the show spot. Lake Charles paid $4.60 to win as the 6-5 favorite and led an exacta and triple that returned $27.20 and $82.50, respectively.

Lake Charles certainly looked the part of a 6-5 favorite when he won his third Open Pace of the 2022 season at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Melissa Simser photo.

The Open Pace win was the fifth this season for the Kelley stable, who secured victories with Mach Le More and Belmont Major N in addition to the three Open scores with Lake Charles, who is owned by Scheigert and Allies Racing LLC.

Lake Charles enjoyed a strong 2021 campaign at the Spa, winning the Open three times in his first local season out of the Kelley stable, including two of the final three installments on the year. His successes spilled right over to 2022 as Lake Charles scored an Open win in both February and March at Saratoga before stopping the timer in 1:51.4 for a victory in a $22,500 race for top-flight pacers at Plainridge a couple of weeks ago.

Live racing continues on Sunday afternoon (May 22) at Saratoga beginning at 12 noon.