It was another big afternoon at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Monday for Hall of Fame driver Wally Hennessey. The veteran reinsman piloted seven winners on the card including a score in the afternoon’s feature. Hennessey sat behind the 1-9 betting favorite in the $15,000 Fillies and Mares Open on Monday for trainer Mark Beckwith as Arizona looked to threepeat while returning to town off a career-best score.

Arizona drew post position six in the six-horse ladies’ Open and Hennessey situated her fourth in the early going. The fractions were fierce in the feature and while Magical Maya A (Brian Cross) traveled unopposed, she did so behind a 27.2 first quarter and a 55.4 half. Arizona made her move past the half and just unloaded on the competition, pacing into an insurmountable lead heading towards the three-quarter pole.

Wally Hennessey was just a passenger as Arizona powered away from her rivals to win by a commanding three lengths, stopping the timer in 1:52.4. Alittlesidehustl N (Billy Dobson) came on to finish a clear second while Magical Maya A wound up a well-beaten third place finisher. Arizona won for the second consecutive time in the local feature and seventh time of the season overall. The five year old distaffer is owned by Wendy Timpano of Ontario, Canada.

Hennessey made seven trips to the winner’s circle today, three of them coming with Beckwith trainees. Veteran pacing mare Bronze Over N went coast-to-coast in a $9,000 claiming event for pacing mares while young trotter Disco Wiz recorded his fifth victory of the season cruising to his third consecutive score.

Live racing resumes on Saturday evening with a 5pm first post.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Two year old trotting colts and geldings as part of the New York Sire Stakes were featured on Monday afternoon at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Trainer/driver Ake Svanstedt swept the two $77,000+ NY Sire Stakes divisions for freshman trotters as his Mr Mouton scored as his race’s big favorite while Gangsta Talk pulled off the upset for the Svanstedt stable. Mr Mouton, a two year old colt by Chapter Seven out of the Father Patrick mare Burberry, made his lifetime debut off a winning qualifier at the Meadowlands.

Svanstedt moved Mr Mouton out to the early lead on Monday and the freshman held firm every step of the way before reporting home in 1:57.3 for the victory in the $78,700 division of the NY Sire Stakes. Super Chapter (Dexter Dunn) rode the coattails of the winner throughout the mile before finishing second while Karinchak (Mark Macdonald) earned the show spot in the fastest Sire Stakes race of the day.

Svanstedt doubled when Gangsta Talk (Chapter Seven-Gangsta Rat-Muscle Hill) sprung the upset in his $77,300 NY Sire Stakes event. The first-time starter drew post seven in a seven-horse stakes try which saw her power up to the lead in the early going before going coast-to-coast in 1:58.4 while dismissed at odds of 12-1. Global Sensation (Dexter Dunn) was the runner-up to the longshot winner while the favored Civilian Drone (Brett Beckwith) had to settle for third.

Live racing resumes on Saturday night at Saratoga with a 5pm first post.

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

Clover continued her terrific season on Monday afternoon at Saratoga Casino Hotel when she overcame her outside post to prevail in the Fillies and Mares Open. The Mark Beckwith trainee returned to town just two weeks after setting a career-best 1:50.4 victory at Plainridge Park and drew post seven in the seven-horse feature.

Clover, a six year old daughter of Sportswriter, sat well off the pace in a first half that went in a fast 55.4 before reinsman Wally Hennessey cut the 3-5 betting favorite loose heading towards the three-quarter pole. Clover wound up putting the swoop to the group in resounding fashion to win for the eighth time in eighteen seasonal tries stopping the timer in 1:53.3 for the Open score. For Beckwith and Hennessey, it was their second consecutive victory in the Fillies and Mares Open as that tandem combined for a win with distaffer Arizona in the June 10^th installment of the $15,000 ladies’ feature.

Magical Maya A (Brian Cross) came from a long way back to finish second in the Open to complete a $18.60 exacta while Ashestodiamonds (Brett Crawford) rounded out a $133.50 triple. Clover is owned by Howard Jacobs of West Orange, NJ. Hennessey piloted three winners on the Monday card while Beckwith scored a training double.

Live racing resumes on Saturday evening at Saratoga with a 5pm first post.

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

Hall of Famer Wally Hennessey rattled off four consecutive wins on the Monday afternoon card at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The veteran reinsman scored victories in races five through eight on the program which was highlighted by the $15,000 Fillies and Mares Open. Hennessey got the task to pilot the Mark Beckwith-trained Arizona (Up The Credit) in the ladies’ feature.

The five year old distaffer flashed early speed before yielding to the race’s favorite Racine Bell (Jimmy Devaux). Arizona prowled the pocket as millionairess Racine Bell rattled off first-half fractions of 26.4 and 55.4. Hennessey popped the pocket heading towards three-quarters and Arizona unleashed a full-blown attack on the favorite pacing into a big lead heading into the final turn.

Arizona scored her third Open win of the season winning by six lengths in a mile clocked in 1:52.2. Racy Roxy A (Jay Randall) closed to finish second at odds of 10-1 while the 1-2 favorite Racine Bell had to settle for third. Arizona was one of four straight winners on the day for Hennessey. The Open win was one of two for trainer Mark Beckwith who sits atop the trainer standings at the Spa this season.

Arizona’s owner Wendy Warren Timpano had two wins on the day as she teamed up with Beckwith for a victory with I Loved Her First in a $9,500 pacing event for fillies and mares.

Live racing resumes on Saturday evening at Saratoga with a first post time of 5pm.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

Jessica Hallett photo

Always Watching (He’s Watching) became the first distaffer to win the Fillies and Mares Open four times this season at Saratoga Casino Hotel when the defending Horse of the Year went coast-to-coast in Monday’s feature. Jordan Derue owns, trains and drives Always Watching who was the public’s 3-5 betting favorite in the Monday installment of the $15,000 Open for the ladies and wasted no time putting his stable’s star on the front-end, a spot she would remain throughout the entirety of the 1:53.4 mile.

The win time set a new seasonal mark for Always Watching who became the first four-time winner of the Fillies and Mares Open at the Spa in 2024. Millionairess Racine Bell (Jimmy Devaux) closed late to finish second to the favorite while Magical Maya A (Larry Stalbaum) earned the show spot. Derue went back-to-back on the Monday card when he followed up his score in the feature with a victory with claiming pacing mare Shallow (Up The Credit) who went wire-to-wire for her first win of the season.

Live racing will take place on Friday evening with a 5pm first post time (a race card that will take the place of the regular Sunday matinee this week.)

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett Photo

Clover has been on a tear of late at Saratoga Casino Hotel and on Monday, the Mark Beckwith-trained mare made her debut in the Fillies and Mares Open. Wally Hennessey has piloted Clover, a six year old mare by Sportswriter, to two of her three consecutive victories heading into her Open debut on Monday.

Wally was aggressive with the red-hot distaffer in the early portion of the $15,000 Monday feature as Clover showed early speed to make the front in a sizzling first quarter of 26.3 before yielding to a rival who took them to the half in 55.3. Hennessey didn’t waste much time evacuating the pocket when the leader appeared to be tiring and Clover pounced on that one before drawing out to a decisive lead. Clover wound up drawing away from the field in the stretch before stopping the timer in 1:53.4 for her sixth win of the season and fourth in a row.

34-1 shot Shes So Sweet (Chris Long) also made her Open debut on Monday and came on to finish second while Racy Roxy A (Jay Randall) earned the show spot. Clover, who is owned by Howard Jacobs of West Orange, NJ, went off as the public’s 3-5 betting favorite in the $15,000 Open and led an exacta and triple that paid $148 and $535, respectively.

Hennessey rattled off three consecutive wins later on the Monday card to give the veteran reinsman a driving grand slam.

Live racing resumes on Saturday evening at Saratoga. There will be a Pick Five carryover of $3,351 with the wager beginning in the first race. First post time Saturday is set for 5pm.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Lady Saturn took out her broom and completed a sweep of the 9^th annual Virginia O’Brien Memorial Pacing Series on Monday afternoon at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Brett Crawford pilots the three year old filly for trainer Michelle Crawford who was a decisive winner in all three legs of the series. On Monday, the sophomore was tasked with overcoming post eight in the $29,000 Series Final.

Lady Saturn flashed some early speed and landed in fifth in the early going in the Final. Crawford got a cover trip with the up-and-coming filly before tipping her three-wide approaching the three-quarter pole. I Loved Her First (Wally Hennessey), a runner-up in all three legs of the series heading into Monday, cut the mile in the Final but succumbed to the pressure of Lady Saturn in the stretch before fading to third.

Longshot The Queen Hornet (Chris Long) was dismissed at odds of 90-1 while making her first start for new connections and came from last before closing to finish second. Lady Saturn stopped the timer in 1:55.2 to move her record in 2024 to five-for-five. The Queen Hornet was the runner-up to complete a $165 exacta while I Loved Her First rounded out a triple that returned $373.

The 4-5 betting favorite in the Final, Lady Saturn, who is owned by Dragon Tales Farm Inc of Burnt Hills, NY, is a daughter of Huntsville out of the Western Ideal mare P Note Blue Chip, who was bred by her current owner. While Lady Saturn’s victory was the headliner of the day at the Spa, it was Hall of Famer Wally Hennessey who was the sulky star piling up seven wins on the matinee card.

Live racing resumes on Saturday evening with a first post time of 5pm.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Lady Saturn and Molly’s Game win divisions of the O’Brien Series at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Monday

Some of the top young fillies and mares at Saratoga Casino Hotel have slugged it out for the better part of the last three weeks as part of the Virginia O’Brien Memorial Pacing Series. Monday’s matinee featured two divisions of the third leg of the series for young distaffers and saw the favorites shine. Lady Saturn, a three year old filly by Huntsville, began her 2024 campaign with a victory in a non-winners of two race lifetime condition on April 16^th before taking part in the series’ first leg contested the following week.

The sophomore filly made it look easy scoring in legs one and two of the series heading into Monday’s third leg as the big favorite. Brett Crawford pilots Lady Saturn for trainer Michelle Crawford and wasted little time moving the 1-9 shot to the early lead while in pursuit of the seasonal grand slam. Homer she did as Lady Saturn held off a mild bid in the stretch from three-leg runner-up I Loved Her First (Wally Hennessey) before recording a career-best 1:55 victory. Lady Saturn, who is owned by Dragon Tales Farm Inc, will head into next week’s Series Final as the one to beat as she is now four-for-four in 2024.

The other $10,000 division of the Virginia O’Brien Memorial Pace went the way of Mollys Game, a three year old Jaymes McAssey trainee. Mollys Game came into the series off back-to-back second-place finishes before pulling off a mild upset in leg one with Chris Long in the sulky. Billy Dobson piloted the sophomore filly to a runner-up try in leg two before going coast-to-coast with her on Monday in a lifetime best 1:56.4. Mollys Game was her race’s 3-5 betting favorite in her leg three win. The McAssey trainee is owned by Delpozo Scwartz Paoletti LLC.

Live racing resumes on Saturday evening at Saratoga with a first post time of 5pm.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Two divisions of the first leg of the Virginia O’Brien Memorial Pacing Series for fillies and mares served as co-features on the Monday card at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The ninth annual installment of the O’Brien Memorial got underway with a pair of $10,000 divisions and trainer Jaymes McAssey enjoyed a strong start to the series. Mollys Game, a three year old daughter of Bettor’s Delight, came into her division of the series off back-to-back second-place finishes.

Chris Long piloted the McAssey trainee on Monday and showed speed with the 9-2 shot in the wagering. Mollys Game sat the pocket to her race’s heavy favorite I Loved Her First (Dylan Huckabone Miller) and pounced in the stretch when she found open road. The sophomore stopped the timer in 1:58 for her second win of the season. Mollys Game paid $11.40 to win in the leg one series score for owners Delpozo Scwartz Paoletti LLC of Methuen, Massachusetts.

The other $10,000 division of the O’Brien Memorial went the way of Lady Saturn (Huntsville). Brett Crawford drives the Michelle Crawford trainee who won her seasonal debut last week (April 16) when she parlayed a pocket trip to victory. In leg one of the series on Monday, Lady Saturn sat mid-pack before making her move to pick-up cover eventually tipping three-wide and overpowering her competition en route to a career-best 1:56.3 victory.

Lady Saturn was winless as a freshman in 2023 but has begun her sophomore campaign two-for-two in the win column after her leg one romp which came at odds of 7-5. Lady Saturn is owned by Dragon Tales Farm of Burnt Hills, NY.

Live racing resumes on Saturday evening with a first post time set for 5pm.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Trainer Robyn Mangiardi and driver Chris Long continued a strong stretch on Monday afternoon at Saratoga Casino Hotel when their Isle Coach went coast-to-coast in one of the co-features. Mangiardi and Long teamed up for the win in the Sunday feature when their Free Willy Hanover scored his first ever score in the local Open Trot. On Monday, Isle Coach drew the rail for his second local try as he competed in an $8,000 race for young pacers.

Coming off a second-place finish in his Spa debut, Isle Coach controlled the action from start to finish en route to a 1:56.3 victory, his second in the 2024 campaign after spending the early portion of his season racing at Freehold Raceway. The four year old gelding by Corner Blitz out of the Island Fantasy mare Madeira Island held off late bids from longshot Heir Of Southwest (Brett Crawford), who was the runner-up, and pocket-sitter Duck Dynasty (Mark Beckwith) who had to settle for the show spot.

Mangiardi, who was voted as the Horsewoman of the Year at Saratoga in ’23, is off to another strong start to her campaign this year and followed up her first Open win with the Monday score with her newly-acquired Isle Coach whom she owns.

Live racing continues at Saratoga on Tuesday afternoon with a matinee that begins at noon.

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo