Saratoga Harness: McWicked back to his winning ways in Gerrity Jr. Memorial

McWicked showed the closing kick that he displayed many times during his Horse of the Year season in 2018, getting up from second-over to take Saturday night's $260,000 Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial for free-for-all pacers at Saratoga Casino Hotel in 1:50 4/5.

With Brian Sears in town to drive, McWicked settled into fifth from post three while race favorite This Is The Plan (Yannick Gingras) blasted out to the front from post four. This Is The Plan would reach the opening quarter in 26 3/5, but The Wall (Jim Pantaleano) was out and on the move from fourth past that point, and that gave McWicked a second-over trip to bring him into contention.

This Is The Plan left The Wall on the rim to the half, which was reached in just 55 4/5, and things remained pretty much the same to the 1:23 1/5 three-quarters, with Sears motivating McWicked three-wide on the final bend. Although he'd been working out good trips through the year, McWicked had lacked the knockout punch in the lane to go with it, but that changed on this night as he out-finished This Is The Plan and pocket-sitter None Bettor (Joe Bongiorno) to win by half a length. Jimmy Freight (Scott Zeron) followed McWicked's cover and was fourth, with Western Fame (Daniel Dube) fifth after getting locked in on the inside in the three-hole throughout.

Casie Coleman trains McWicked, an 8-year-old McArdle stallion, for owner S S G Stables. This was McWicked's 36th career victory, and he has now earned $4,209,127. Sent off at 7-2, he paid $9.80 to win.