Bye Bye Felicia (Woodstock) sprung the mild upset in Thursday’s feature at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Melissa Beckwith-trained distaffer was assigned post three and went off at odds of 9-2 in the six-horse Fillies and Mares Open. With fractions of 27 and 55.4 in lap one, the race’s leader tired when confronted by a first-over Bye Bye Felicia. The five year old took over command past three quarters in 1:24 and was tasked with holding off the challenge of the favored Come Get The Cash (Jay Randall) who was closing in after getting a second-over journey. Bye Bye Felicia held strong in the stretch and prevailed in 1:52.4 to win the Open for the first time in 2019. Come Get The Cash has finished in the top three in every start since the middle of summer and wound up as the runner-up in the ladies’ feature for the fourth consecutive week when she came up second-best to Bye Bye Felicia. Invader Shutthefrontdoor (Phil Fluet) came on to finish third. Bye Bye Felicia paid $11.20 to win in her mild upset and led an exacta and triple that returned $35 and $112, respectively, in the $18,000 Open for fillies and mares. Mark Beckwith piloted Bye Bye Felicia to her Thursday score.
Live racing resumes on Saturday evening at Saratoga with a 6:45pm first post.
Mike Sardella
Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino
