Sea Shadows (Shadow Play) made her debut out of the Melissa Beckwith stable a winning one on Monday afternoon at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The seven year old distaffer didn’t factor in her first start at the Spa this season when in the Fillies and Mares Open on May 16th, she finished sixth in a seven-horse feature. A talented mare who came into Monday’s try in the Open as a seven-time winner in 2022 after competing primarily at Pompano Park in Florida before traveling north this spring, Sea Shadows was put in gear in the early going by driver Wally Hennessey who powered to the front-end with the race’s 2-1 second choice in the wagering.
The fractions in the feature were fast but despite posting a first half in 56.2, Sea Shadows (Shadow Play) showed no signs of letting up and in fact began to draw away from the race’s favorite, pocket-sitting Luck B Mine (Jimmy Devaux) approaching three quarters before powering out to win by four lengths in 1:52.3. Luck B Mine finished second while All Speed Rising (Justin Huckabone) earned the show spot. For Sea Shadows, it was win number eight on the campaign to match her win total from the ’21 season. She is owned by Paul O’Neil of Saratoga Springs. Beckwith and Hennessey followed up the victory in the feature with another win on Monday as Party Queen prevailed in a $10,500 for pacing mares in the race that followed the Open on the ten-race card.
Live racing resumes on Friday evening at Saratoga with a first post time of 5PM.
Mike Sardella
Photo: Cheyanne Mandy