Her Own Land (Blissfull Hall) emerged from a scramble in the stretch to prevail in the Friday feature at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Melissa Beckwith-trained six year old got the pocket ride in the $9,500 feature for fillies and mares. Riding the coattails of the favored Sometimes Graceful (Dan Cappello Jr) throughout, Her Own Land cruised up the passing lane in a stretch drive that saw four horses finish within one length of each other at the wire. An Open winner earlier this season, Her Own Land had finished second or third in four consecutive tries heading into Friday night when she got the job done in 1:54 with Mark Beckwith in the sulky. Our Els Dream N (Bruce Aldrich Jr) came up second best while class-dropping Sometimes Graceful had to settle for third. Her Own Land paid $6.60 to win and led an exacta and triple that returned $19 and $74.50, respectively.
Live racing continues on Saturday night with the biggest race card of the summer. The $260,000 Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial Pace highlights the fourteen race, star-studded program on a night where nearly $600,000 in purses will be given out. There is also a t-shirt giveaway in conjunction with the annual Gerrity Pace. First post time is set for 7:05pm.
Mike Sardella
Photo: Mikayla Gray
