On Friday night, Lady Shadow (Shadow Play) did what she couldn’t do the previous two weeks at Saratoga Casino Hotel and that is defeat regular Open winner Spreester. Lady Shadow is very close to the $2 million mark in career earnings as the Melissa Beckwith trainee cruised to an open length romp in Friday’s Fillies and Mares. The veteran seven year old moved out to the front in the early going in the $14,500 feature and built an insurmountable lead as she passed three quarters in 1:24. Mark Beckwith then pulled the trigger and the lead got bigger with Lady Shadow pacing away to win in 1:53.1 by four and a half lengths. Culinary Delight N (Larry Stalbaum) surged up the inside to be second while the favored Spreester (Frank Coppola Jr) earned the show spot while a beaten favorite. Lady Shadow paid $7.90 to win and led an exacta and triple that came back $47.40 and $91, respectively. The veteran distaffer now has accrued more than $1.99 million in career earnings after recording her first win in the local feature.
Live racing continues on Saturday night at Saratoga with a 6:45pm first post.
Mike Sardella
Photo: Melissa SImser-Iovino
