Stunt Man, winless in five starts since April, spoiled the party for even-money favorite Chief’s Lake at Saratoga Race Course on Wednesday afternoon, putting in a strong move on the final turn that carried him to a two-length victory in the 30th running of the $150,000 Albany, the nine-furlong final leg of the OTB’s Big Apple Triple for three-year-old New York-breds.

Chief’s Lake, by virtue of his victory in Belmont Park’s seven-furlong Mike Lee on June 24 and his declared win in the New York Derby at a mile and a sixteenth at Finger Lakes on July 14, in which he was placed first after a disqualification, needed to win the Albany to be the first horse to win a $250,000 bonus for sweeping the three-race series.

He didn’t get close.

Although Chief’s Lake had good position under jockey Garrett Gomez, stalking front-running Doctor Freud through pokey fractions of :24.71; :49.31 and 1:13.68, it was clear that no one was going to stop Stunt Man on this day.

Under jockey Ramon Dominguez, the Western Expression gelding saved ground early, then came out to track Chief’s Lake and kicked in around the turn with a winning move that brought him his third career win in 1:51.23 on the fast main track. Owned by Winning Move Stable, Island Wind Racing and Celebrity Group Stable, Stunt Man returned $9.40 for the $2 win players among the crowd of 18,888.

“I had a great trip,” Dominguez said. “My horse was forwardly placed from the get-go. As soon as I got to the backside, I realized how slow we were going, so I didn’t hesitate to get him three-wide and get him out of trouble. I wasn’t going to be happy keeping him behind horses with such a slow pace. Around the three-eighths pole, he started taking me to the lead, and from there, we cruised home. He had a good late kick.”

Dr. V’s Magic got up to snatch the place from Chief’s Lake, who carried 124 pounds and spotted his six rivals from three to nine pounds.

“He was third-best today,” said Steve Asmussen, trainer of Chief’s Lake. “It was a lot of weight to give up for a three-year-old going a mile and an eighth. It is what it is, but he ran hard and we are very proud of everything he’s done. The (OTB’s Big Apple) Triple is very hard because of the distance changes. To be able to be a good seven-furlong horse and a good mile and an eighth horse is totally different. But he ran very well.”

Winning trainer Gary Contessa said that the $250,000, nine-furlong Empire Classic at Belmont Park on New York Showcase Day on October 20 would be a logical next start for Stunt Man, who just might hate to say good-bye to Saratoga. Before his win in the Albany, he prepped with a third-place finish on yielding turf here in the nine-furlong Cab Calloway division of the New York Stallion Stakes on August 8.

“When you get some horses to Saratoga, they train unbelievably,” Contessa said. “With this horse, he has been a different horse, and he has never been as good as he is right now. Obviously, he showed it today. He has been a pleasure to train. He’s sounder. He’s happier coming out of the stall. Today was his day. The pace was dawdling – :49 and change for the half. When I saw that, I was happy to be two lengths off the pace. I was thinking he would be six lengths off the pace. We’ll give him a break and then maybe run in the Empire Classic.”

Completing the order of finish were Bayou Timber, Doctor Freud, Stopbluffing and Good Prospect.