Whilemena Rita A (Heston Blue Chip) was a decisive, first-over winner in the Sunday feature at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Melissa Beckwith trainee had one victory in the Fillies and Mares Open to her credit when she came into Sunday’s tilt as the morning line favorite. Whilemena Rita A wound up as the odds-on favorite in the feature for distaffers and proved more than up to the task. The six year old mare who is in the midst of her first full season of racing in the U.S. came first-over after a first half was paced in just 58.1. The resistance of the longshot leader was futile as Whilemena Rita A and reinsman Brett Beckwith imposed their will, pacing through a third quarter in 27 seconds before opening up an insurmountable lead and scoring by a length and three quarters in 1:54.3. Longshot Lady Saturn (Brett Crawford) closed quickly to finish second at odds of 10-1 while Bobby Mcgee (Billy Dobson) earned the show spot in her Open debut. For Whilemena Rita A, the win was her seventh of the year and second in Open company. The talented mare is owned in partnership by Fac Racing LLC and trainer Melissa Beckwith.
Live racing continues on Monday at Saratoga with a matinee that begins at 12pm.
Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY
