Kennebago went gate-to-wire in his $14,189 conditioned trot at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Sunday, Feb. 18 to secure the 1,000th win for his trainer, Gary Levine.
Billy Dobson and the Levine student took the early lead and never looked back as they set panels in :29.2, 1:00.1 and 1:30. Turning for home, Yo Cheyenne (Matthew Athearn) overcame a parked-out trip to battle for the win, but Kennebago had just enough to win by a half-length in 2:00. Yo Cheyenne had to settle for second and Gavinator (Brett Beckwith) completed the top three.
Levine owns the four-year-old E L Titan-First Class Act gelding, who earned his first win in his first start this season and his eighth career victory from 29 starts. Kennebago was making his first start with his new connections. He has $149,151 banked lifetime. The winner returned $5.60 as the 2-1 second choice on the board.
Levine has been training since 2005. The Ballston Spa resident has had just over 7,000 career starts with $6,887,133 earned. He saw his career-best year in 2023 with 114 wins and $968,700 in earnings.
By The Book picked up his first win of 2024 in his second seasonal outing, taking the $20,270 Open Handicap Trot on Sunday at Saratoga for trainer Scott Mongeon.
Jay Randall has been the regular reinsman for By The Book and was aboard in the Sunday feature. Randall moved the even-money favourite out to the early lead. The talented high-stepper enjoyed a hassle-free first half that went in :59.1 and looked comfortable every step of the way before reporting home a length and a quarter winner. By The Book stopped the timer in 1:57.2 for his second victory in the local feature since coming to town last year. Longshot Malibu Kid (Larry Stalbaum) closed to finish second while City Of Hope (Jimmy Devaux) earned the show spot.
By The Book, a five-year-old Chapter Seven-Explosive High gelding, is owned in partnership by Charles Harrison, Frederick Barthelmas and Tina Murray.
Live harness racing continues on Monday afternoon with a matinee set to begin at noon.
(Saratoga Casino Hotel)