by Mike Sardella, for Saratoga Raceway
Saratoga, NY — Riverofroyalty (RC Royalty) won the award for 3-Year Old Trotter of the Year at Saratoga Casino Hotel in 2016. On Friday night (March 10), the Dave Spagnola-trained highstepper made her seasonal debut in the evening’s $7,500 co-feature for New York-sired trotters.
Melissa Simser-Iovino photo
Riverofroyalty defends her crown with a triumph at Saratoga on Friday evening.
The 4-year-old mare sat back patiently throughout as her main rivals battled it out. Driver Frank Coppola Jr. activated Riverofroyalty around the three-quarter pole and she picked off horses one-by-one before winning a photo with Intensify (Phil Fluet), stopping the timer in 2:02.3.
Riverofroyalty paid $9.10 in her first win of the year as she bested Intensify and third place finisher Cuda Hall (Pat Curtin).
Coppola won the other half of the co-features as well with Jackie Greene’s Buff (Credit Winner), who recorded his first local victory on Friday, prevailing in 2:01 on another cold March night in the Spa City.
Live racing continues on Saturday night (March 11) at Saratoga with a first post time of 6:45 p.m.