Saratoga Harness: Rail trip pays off for Tattoo Artist in Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial

Tattoo Artist had gotten burned leaving the gate in the past in major half-mile track encounters, but Wally Hennessey made sure the 5-year-old son of He's Watching was not forced to race extra ground and worked out a trip that saw him never leave the pylons to capture Saturday's $250,000 Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial at Saratoga in a 1:50 1/5 mile.

From post three Hennessey allowed two powerful Ron Burke trainees, Workin Ona Mystery and This Is The Plan, to lead and follow from the outset while settling Tattoo Artist third in the early stages. Only Leonidas A and Austin Siegelman was left to challenge, and the veteran was sacrificed as Workin Ona Mystery and Tim Tetrick carved out fractions of 26 4/5 and 54 3/5 for the opening-half. Jason Bartlett moved Nandolo N on the second turn to follow cover, and 3-2 favorite Linedrive Hanover and Brian Sears followed in third-over position for much of the way.

Off the third turn Sears sent Linedrive Hanover three-deep to challenge the leaders as Leonidas A began to falter. With three-quarters clocked in 1:22 1/5, the field began to bunch up as Linedrive Hanover loomed three-deep on the final turn, and Yannick Gingras attempted to squeeze off the pylons with This Is The Plan late on the final turn, a move that saw him in tight quarters an unable to fully drive his horse.

While Gingras was drifting off the inside track, Hennessey seized upon the opportunity, and Tattoo Artist threaded the needle along the inside full of pace to collar Workin Ona Mystery before the wire. Linedrive Hanover continued on for third, with This Is The Plan fourth.

Trained in the U.S. by Chris Ryder, Tattoo Artist was a winner for the fifth time in 2022 for owners Let It Ride Stables, Frank Cannon and Diamond Creek Racing. As the 5-2 second choice he returned $7.30 to win.

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In the first of three New York Sire Stakes events for 2-year-old colt and gelding pacers, Austin Siegelman guided Ben Solo to a 16-1 upset, moving along the pylons in the stretch to go past pace-setter Johnny Sack for his maiden score.

The son of Huntsville is owned by Steven Finkelstein's Jesmeral Stable and stopped the clock in 1:55 for the mile in the $51,300 contest.

American Fling won his fourth straight NYSS event, scoring in the second $51,300 division for Jason Bartlett in 1:53 2/5 setting the track standard for 2-year-old geldings in the process. A 27 second final quarter was necessary for the Ed Hart-trained, American Ideal-sired gelding to complete the job with Tickertape Hanover flying from the pocket on the wire to just come up short. Human Cocktail was third in the mile.

Randall Bendis, Pollack Racing and Reed Broadway share ownership in American Fling, who returned $3.50 as the public choice.

Hennessey returned to the winner's circle after capturing the third $51,300 NYSS division behind favored Blue Hunt in 1:54 2/5. Thunder Hunter Joe made a furious late rush in his career debut for second, with pocket-sitter That Dog Will Hunt holding on late for third.

United Process Control Co. and Erica Chartrand own the Huntsville-sired gelding. Chartrand trains Blue Hunt, now a winner twice in four career starts.