2023’s Horse of the Year at Saratoga Casino Hotel recorded her first win of the ’24 season on Tuesday afternoon. Jordan Derue owns, trains and drives pacing mare Always Watching (He’s Watching) who was a total force last year winning ten times, nine of which came in the local Fillies and Mares Open.

Always Watching drew poorly for her first two starts back in ’24 and didn’t prove to be a factor in either of the tries but on Tuesday, Derue’s stable star drew post three for her start in the $15,000 feature which saw her capture the early lead. The six year old distaffer cruised through first half fractions of 27.4 and 57.2 while bracing for race favorite Probert (Brett Beckwith).

Probert owned a first and second place finish in her two local starts in the Open this year but came up a bit short of tracking down Always Watching and recording another feature score.

Always Watching held on to prevail in 1:54.3 to register her first win of the year. Paying $8.30 to win as the second-choice in the wagering, Always Watching led an exacta with Probert second that returned $28.80 while Alittlesidehustl N (Billy Dobson) completed a $252 triple.

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

Mike Sardella | Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, NY

Jessica Hallett photo

Racy Roxy A (Mr Feelgood) won the Saratoga Casino Hotel Open for the first time on Tuesday afternoon. Trainer Rob Harmon had a double on the card led by her A who was a wrapped-up winner at the wire. The even-money betting favorite in the $15,000 Fillies and Mares Open, Racy Roxy A cruised out to the early lead and remained untested through a first half in 57.3.

Driver Jay Randall asked the favorite for more heading towards the three-quarter pole and Racy Roxy A paced away from her rivals to build an insurmountable lead before reporting home a measured winner of a length in a mile clocked in a career-best 1:54.4. Probert (Brett Beckwith), last week’s Open winner, came up second-best on Tuesday while Magical Maya A (Larry Stalbaum), the runner-up in the season’s first feature for mares, closed to finish third.

Racy Roxy A, who paid $4.20 to win, was one of two winners on the card for Rob Harmon and one of three for Randall as that tandem combined for a victory with young pacing mare Two Star Magic who set a lifetime mark in prevailing for the second consecutive week. Racy Roxy A is owned by Mike Casalino Jr of Freehold, NJ.

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

Probert (Dali) made every pole a winning one on Tuesday afternoon at Saratoga Casino Hotel as she recorded a decisive win in the season’s first installment of the Fillies and Mares Open. Brett Beckwith piloted the Bruce Mattison-trained mare who cruised out to an early lead that she would never relinquish. The seven year old traveled unopposed in a first half of 57.2 and never faced a legit threat before scampering away from her rivals to record a better than three-length victory in the $15,000 ladies’ feature.

Magical Maya A (Larry Stalbaum) moved first-over approaching the three-quarter pole and while she never posed much of a problem to the leader did hold strong to be the runner-up to Probert while invader Racy Roxy A (Jay Randall) closed to finish third. Probert, who is owned in partnership by Howard Jacobs, Jim Winske and Marcus Kemblowski, enjoyed a six-figure 2023 campaign which saw her earn more than $120,000.

Tuesday’s victory was the first in three ’24 tries for Probert whose driver Brett Beckwith piloted three winners on the card and whose trainer Bruce Mattison had a pair of victories of his own. Probert paid $4.00 to win and led an exacta and triple that came back $16.80 and $39, respectively.

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

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

Photo:  Jessica Hallett

Trainer Jaymes McAssey looks like he’ll finish fifth in the trainer standings in what has been a strong season at Saratoga Casino Hotel for the young conditioner. On Tuesday, McAssey scored a training double including a victory in the matinee’s feature. Rock A Honey (All Bets Off) moved to the McAssey stable last month and put in three strong efforts upon coming to the Spa.

The three year old finished second in his first two starts out of McAssey’s barn before toughing out a third-place finish despite being parked the mile in last. In Tuesday’s $9,500 feature for colt and gelding pacers, Rock A Honey was tasked with overcoming a first-over journey as the 9-5 second choice in the wagering with Billy Dobson in the bike. The sophomore was up to the task and wore down the leader before emerging victorious in a 1:56.3 mile. Longshot B Cool Fool (Matt Athearn) followed Rock A Honey’s cover to finish as the runner-up while the favored Aces Or Bettor (Chris Long) shook loose late to earn the show spot.

Rock A Honey, who is owned in partnership by David Del Pozzo and Paul Paoletti, completed the McAssey stable double after the conditioner saw his Caviart Cherie (Jimmy Devaux) score in the afternoon’s opener.

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

Mike Sardella

Jessica Hallett photo

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

Trainer Gary Levine had a busy day on Tuesday at Saratoga Casino Hotel as the conditioner who currently sits third in the 2023 trainer standings had seven horses in to go on the matinee card. Levine scored a training double on Tuesday when his Queen Indeed (E L Titan) moved her record to two-for-two locally going coast-to-coast in an $8,000 race for trotters. Queen Indeed stepped up in company for her Tuesday try but had little difficultly in repeating in a mile clocked in 2:01.2.

The 6-5 favorite in her race, Queen Indeed completed a double for Levine and driver Billy Dobson who teamed up for a victory earlier in the day when Jett Rink (Cantab Hall) scored for the first time since joining the Levine stable earlier in the month. Jett Rink trotted to a 2:01 win in his $8,000 division for young trotters.

Gary Levine, the 2020 leading trainer at the Spa, is finishing his season strong and has his sights set on the second-place spot in the training standings with three weeks remaining in the ’23 season. Brett Derue is poised to win his first training title after enjoying a career year.

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

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

Trainer Kelly Lancaster-Dailey has enjoyed a breakout season of sorts at Saratoga Casino Hotel in 2023 and on Tuesday, the New Jersey-based conditioner scored a double. Lancaster-Dailey does a lot of her racing at Freehold but has recorded almost 100 starts at the Spa this season. On Tuesday, her Always A Way (Always A Virgin) got the stable off to a strong start when he parlayed his pocket trip to victory in an $8,000 race for pacers who were non-winners of two races lifetime.

Always A Way powered out of the two-hole to breeze by his race’s favorite en route to a 1:55.4 score. Lancaster-Dailey completed a training double when her Wanda’s Wonder (Dover Dan) scored first-over in her second local start. Wanda’s Wonder made a break in her local debut but avenged that defeat with her Tuesday score when she stopped the timer in 2:00.2. Both Kelly Lancaster-Dailey trainees were driven to their wins by Mitch Cushing.

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

Jessica Hallett photo

Mike Sardella recap

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York