from Saratoga Raceway

Saratoga Springs, NY — Whelan Mike bid his time in the back of the pack before springing the upset in the featured $17,000 Open Pace on Saturday evening (Feb. 24) at Saratoga Gaming and Raceway.

Alloveramerica grabbed the lead from his pole position, but felt constant pressure from a hung out Life Sizzles through an opening quarter of :27.3. The duo battled gamely past a :58.4 half, but succumbed to a charging Fake Embrace A, making a three-wide bid for the lead. Whelan Mike followed suit before Dan Cappello, Jr. unleashed his charge in the stretch, edging out Fake Embrace A and John Stark, Jr. by a nose in 1:56.2. Allamerican Apache was third.

Owned by Gunther Unflat and trained by Howard Okusko, Whelan Mike ($21.40, $10.20, $5.30) boasts a 4-1-1-1 record on the year.

It was also a good night for drivers Dan Cappello, Jr. and Jay Randall. Cappello, Saratoga’s leading driver, had five wins on the night while Jay Randall finished the night with four winners.

It was not, however, a good night to be the favorite. Longshots reigned supreme as over half of the 13 winners on the night’s card lit up the board with win prices of over $10.

But the morning line favorite of the finale, Letsroll Bluegrass, did find the winner’s circle and not only gave Dan Cappello, Jr. his fifth winner on the night, but found himself in some elite company as well. The win pushed the 6-year-old over the $100,000 mark in career earnings.

Racing resumes Sunday (Feb. 25) for the final February matinee. Post time is 12:45 p.m.