So Nice (Ponder) continued to bolster her credentials for Filly and Mare Pacer of the Year at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Friday night as the Amber Buter-trained distaffer prevailed in the feature. So Nice was the 1-5 betting favorite in the five horse Fillies and Mares Open and moved out to the early lead in a sizzling 26.4 opening quarter. Driver Mark Beckwith gave So Nice a bit of a breather in the middle half but around the final turn, pocket sitter Milky Way Rae (Billy Dobson) powered out of the two hole. The race’s longshot at 15-1, Milky Way Rae actually poked a nose in front midway through the stretch but the gutsy veteran So Nice rallied back just before the wire and emerged with a victory by the slimmest of margins. So Nice paced in 1:52.4 to record her tenth win of the year to go with eight second place finishes in what has been a sensational 2016 season for the six year old mare. Milky Way Rae had to settle for second in her debut in the Open while Dilly Dali (Bruce Aldrich Jr) earned the show spot. So Nice has certainly emerged as the favorite for Filly and Mare Pacer of the Year while in the midst of what has been an extremely consistent campaign for the Buter trainee.
Live racing continues on Saturday night at Saratoga with a first post time set for 6:45pm.
Mike Sardella
Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino
