from harness publicists across North America

Sunday’s (Oct. 26) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Scarborough Downs and Saratoga Casino and Raceway.

Sassy Sarah delivers birthday surprise at Scarborough Downs

Scarborough, ME — Classy racehorses come in all shapes and sizes and their names pepper the program pages at Scarborough Downs. While it’s tough to beat the back-class and experience of a veteran warhorse, the special ones generally find a way to come to the forefront when placed upon a big stage even now, as they approach the twilights of their careers.

Michael Newman photo

Sassy Sarah, with driver Dan Deslandes, comes through on her owner’s birthday.

One of those magical moments developed on Sunday (Oct. 26) at Scarborough Downs as the 13-year-old mare Sassy Sarah took to the track for the 290th time in her career while in search of her 63rd lifetime win. What at first glance might have appeared just another day at the office for the racehorse, who has been a stalwart and fan favorite on the state of Maine circuit for years now, turned out to be one of those occasions where performance helped cement the status of legend.

While sent to the post by owner/trainer Lisa Saindon as usual, the backdrop to this story was the fact that Lisa was celebrating her birthday by racing two members of her stable on Sunday. Her trotter, Keystone Stately, could only manage a fifth place showing earlier in the card but Sassy Sarah had grander celebration plans in mind as she rallied boldly around the final bend to extend out for the well earned and equally well timed victory, delivering the best birthday present any racehorse could ever give her owner.

Birthday cake for Lisa, carrot cake for Sassy Sarah and congratulations all around for the feel good story of the week at Scarborough Downs.

— Michael Sweeney

Saratoga Casino and Raceway
Cooking The Books (Mach Three) won the Fillies and Mares Open at Saratoga Casino and Raceway on Sunday afternoon. The Jose Godinez-trained mare drew the inside post and wound up getting a pocket trip behind the race’s favorite in the $17,000 co-feature. Cooking The Books closed up the inside to pull off the mild upset at odds of 7-2. Bruce Aldrich Jr. piloted the 5-year-old mare to her first victory in the local Open and secured a pair of wins for Godinez as the two teamed up with a win in the matinee’s opener with Shortest Distance who scored her 24th win of the year. Aldrich piled up four wins on the Sunday card. Crazy About Pat won the co-featured Open Trot for driver Shawn Gray in 1:58.