Always Watching (He’s Watching) became the second distaffer to win the Fillies and Mares Open four times this season at Saratoga Casino Hotel when on Monday, Jordan Derue’s talented five year old went coast-to-coast in the $15,000 feature. Always Watching has hit the board in every one of her starts dating back to early summer and on Wednesday, she survived a win photo to prevail over a sloppy track. Derue owns, trains and drives Always Watching who moved out to the front-end and carved out first-half fractions of 27 and 56 seconds. The co-second choice in the wagering at odds of 5-2, Always Watching was tracked every step of the way by the race’s favorite Oaxacan Dream N (Jimmy Devaux) who drew even in the stretch with the leader before coming up just shy in a close photo for win. Always Watching stopped the timer in 1:53.2 for her fifth victory of the year and fourth in the local Open. Oaxacan Dream N completed a $26.40 exacta while American Tour N (Wally Hennessey) rounded out a $141.50 triple. Always Watching, an earner of over $100,000 in 2022, is well on her way to another six-digit campaign in ’23. Her fourth score in the ladies’ Open matches La Bella Vita N for most for any mare this season at the Spa.

Live racing resumes on Saturday evening with a first post time of 5pm. There will be a $2,649 carryover in the early Pick Five, a wager that begins in the first race.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Jessica Hallett

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

Shecouldbegood N (Well Said) lengthened her win streak to five on Monday afternoon at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Trainer Luke Hanners claimed the ten year old mare in late May and enjoyed immediate success with the veteran distaffer. Shecouldbegood N rattled off four consecutive victories, including one that came in a lifetime best 1:52.1, before stepping up to make her first career start in the Fillies and Mares Open on Monday. Shawn Gray catch-drove for Hanners who continues to recover from injuries sustained in an on-track accident. Gray took Shecouldbegood N back at the start to not get involved in what wound up being a pretty significant speed duel in the early going. Her co-favorite, Our Lady Lara A (Jimmy Devaux), powered into the lead in a fast first quarter of 26.4 before backing it down to 57.3 in the first half. Shecouldbegood N began to progress mildly from off the pace and just kept grinding away leading up to a stretch drive that would result in a blanket finish. When the dust settled, Shecouldbegood N emerged with her first Open score in a race that saw all seven participants finish within a length and a quarter of each other. Co-favored at odds of 9-5, Shecouldbegood N paid $5.70 to win. Always Watching (Jordan Derue) closed to finish second while Our Lady Lara A had to settle for third in the $17,000 Open for the ladies. Shecouldbegood N’s victory, which came in 1:54.4, was her seventh of the season. The Open winner is owned by Michael Milazzo of Goshen, NY who teamed up once again with Gray and Hanners later in the card for a victory with claiming pacing mare HS Shauna as she completed a double for her connections.

The live racing calendar will feature Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening for the next two months with first post time each evening set for 6:45pm.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Jessica Hallett

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

Invader Milieu Hanover (Betting Line) made her Saratoga Casino Hotel debut a winning one in Monday’s feature. Nick Devita trains the five year old who came into her try in the $17,000 Fillies and Mares Open a winner of back-to-back races but after being off close to a month. Milieu Hanover came from the back of a condensed pack of six distaffers on Monday and driver Brett Beckwith tipped her to the far outside past the three-quarter pole. The out-of-towner came charging home in the stretch and drew away to prevail by two and a quarter lengths in a final time of 1:54. The third consecutive win for Milieu Hanover was her fifth on the season in ten starts. The Open winner paid $9.00 to win as she bested the favored Our Lady Lara A (Jimmy Devaux), who brought a six-race undefeated local streak into the Monday feature but had to settle for second-best. Always Watching (Jordan Derue) earned the show spot. The exacta and triple in the ladies’ Open came back $20.40 and $84.50, respectively. Milieu Hanover is owned in partnership by Hamm, Giaccio and Devita Racing Stable, Inc.

Live racing will resume on Saturday evening at Saratoga and will feature a carryover of $3,917 in the early Pick Five. The Pick Five begins in Saturday’s first race which is set for 5pm.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Jessica Hallett

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

Trainer Andy Sardella has seen a stable star emerge for him this season as Northern Luxury (Northern Luck) has gone on a springtime tear at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Northern Luxury rattled off five consecutive victories spanning the month of May and heading into June. The five year old mare graduated out of the class of her dominance and wound up getting parked the mile the following week.

On Monday, Northern Luxury drew post three for her try in the $12,500 feature for fillies and mares. Regular reinsman Phil Fluet sat behind the Sardella-trained distaffer and got a cover trip with her on Monday. The 2-1 second-choice in the wagering tracked down the favorite who was on the front end en route to her ninth victory in fifteen seasonal starts.

Longshot So Diva (Chris Long) closed up the rail to finish second while the favored American Tour N (Wally Hennessey) held on to finish third. Northern Luxury paid $6.90 to win as she stopped the timer in 1:54.3 for owner Billy Grass of Greenfield, MA. Sardella completed a training double on Monday when his HS Shauna (Up Front Charlie) went coast-to-coast with Chris Long in the sulky.

HS Shauna’s win, her fifth of the season, came in 1:55.4 in a $9,000 event for claiming pacing mares. HS Shauna is owned by Mike and Bill Pozefsky of New York.

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

Mike Sardella

Photo: Jessica Hallett

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

Trainer Brett Derue has been sitting in the top three in the trainer standings all year long at Saratoga Casino Hotel and on Monday, the veteran conditioner added three wins to his bulky tally to put him right up near the top. Derue’s Novella Seelster (Sportswriter) gave her trainer his first win on the matinee card when she parlayed her pocket ride to victory with Wally Hennessey at the controls.

Brett Derue quickly went back-to-back as Mini Rose (American Ideal) powered home in the stretch to score in her first start since moving to the Derue stable. Mini Rose drew the rail in an $11,000 conditional event and wound up tipping to the outside before storming in the stretch to score in 1:55.2 with Mitch Cushing piloting. Derue’s hat trick was completed in the afternoon’s finale when his American Tour N (American Ideal) had little difficulty prevailing in an $11,250 race for fillies and mares. American Tour N popped the pocket past the half and cruised to her fifth victory of the season when she stopped the timer in 1:54.2. The nine year old distaffer was guided to the win by Wally Hennessey who piloted four winners on the Monday card.

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

Mike Sardella

Photo: Jessica Hallett

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

Our Lady Lara A (Betterthancheddar) extended her local win streak to five at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Monday afternoon. The Amanda Kelley trainee remains undefeated at the Spa after stepping up in the Fillies and Mares Open for the first time and taking the field coast-to-coast. Our Lady Lara A powered out to the early lead in the Monday feature while being guided by the meet’s leading driver Jimmy Devaux. Devaux got a big-time breather for the Aussie invader who after going a first quarter in 27.3 reached the half in 57.4.

From there, it was over. Our Lady Lara A reported home a decisive winner in her first try in the Open for distaffers, stopping the timer in a career-best 1:53.4 to move her local record to five-for-five. Racey Rach N (Mitch Cushing) sat the pocket and finished second while Fond Memories A (Billy Dobson) endured a difficult first-over journey before earning the show spot. Our Lady Lara A was the 2-5 betting favorite in the $17,000 Open and led an exacta and triple in the feature that paid $14.20 and $50, respectively. The Open winner is owned in partnership by the S&K Misfit Racing Stable and VIP Internet Stable.

Live racing resumes on Saturday evening at Saratoga with a 15 race program highlighted by New York Sire Stakes action for three year old pacing fillies. First post time is set for 5pm.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Jessica Hallett

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

It was a monster Monday at Saratoga Casino Hotel for trainer Dave Dewhurst who swept the two Series Finals contested on the matinee card en route to five total winners on the day. Primo Uomo was the public’s overwhelming betting favorite in Monday’s $39,400 Dr. Richard Frank Memorial Pace Final after secure victories in all three legs that led up to the Final. Primo Uomo wasted little time making the front in the Doc Frank Memorial and had little difficulty going coast-to-coast in a career-best 1:54.1 to complete his series sweep.

The victory was the tenth of the year already in just twelve seasonal tries for the three year old son of Heston Blue Chip. Longshot Aces Or Bettor (Mitch Cushing) won a place photo in the series’ conclusion while Astaires Arsenal (Billy Dobson), a two-leg winner in the series, earned the show spot. Primo Uomo is owned by Chris and Dale Lawton of New York.

Dewhurst didn’t have much time to celebrate his big win in the Doc Frank Memorial as Primo Uomo’s stablemate City Of Hope (Mat’s Hall) took to the track as the favorite in the John Mongeon Sr. Memorial Trotting Series Final in the race that followed the pacing Final. City Of Hope wound up as the 3-5 favorite in the wagering after winning consecutive times after making a leg-one break. Dewhurst’s regular reinsman Jimmy Devaux was at the controls and was content to get a pocket ride with City of Hope who pursued major danger Bourbon On Ice (John Stark Jr) every step of the way.

City Of Hope powered out of the two-hole on Monday to secure the biggest win of his young career when he stopped the timer in 1:58.3 to complete a five-win day for Dewhurs who co-owns City Of Hope with Philip Hale of New Hartford, NY. Devaux sat behind all five members of the Monday five-bagger for the veteran conditioner and added another pair of victories to his tally for the day, piloting seven winners in total on the matinee program.

Live racing continues on Tuesday afternoon and features the $38,800 Virginia O’Brien Memorial Pacing Series Final for fillies and mares. First post time for the matinee card is set for noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Jessica Hallett

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

Trump De Vie (Devious Man) continued his magical run at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Monday afternoon. The Jackie Cantine-trained trotter has been simply sensational in 2023 and on Monday won for the seventh consecutive time when he parlayed a pocket trip to victory in leg two of the John Mongeon Sr. Memorial trotting series. Trump De Vie began his season in March by rattling off back-to-back scores after getting pocket rides but ever since, the three year old has been doing it in wire-to-wire fashion for Saratoga Hall of Fame driver Frank Coppola Jr. After paying $9.90 to win in his semi-upset in leg one, Trump De Vie was the betting public’s 3-5 favorite on Monday when he cruised past his race’s leader to prevail in 2:00.3 en route to moving his ’23 record to seven-for-seven. Coppola also piloted the Cantine-trained Sweet El Diablo to a Monday score as that young pacer rattled off his third straight victory for his red hot connections when he prevailed in a $9,500 pacing event on the matinee card.

The winner of the other $15,000 division of leg two of the John Mongeon Sr. Memorial Trot was City Of Hope (Mel’s Hall) who overcame post eight to secure the upset at odds of 12-1 with Jimmy Devaux piloting for trainer Dave Dewhurst.  City Of Hope’s score in the afternoon’s finale was the second on the day for his connections as Primo Uomo went wire-to-wire in his division of the Dr. Richard Frank Memorial pacing series on Monday. City Of Hope is owned in partnership by Dewhurst and Philip Hale.

Live racing continues on Tuesday afternoon at Saratoga with a first post set for noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Jessica Hallett

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

If Monday’s first leg was any indication of what’s to come, the first installment of the Dr. Richard Frank Memorial Pacing Series could set up to be a classic. A pair of three year old pacers came into the series’ first leg with a combined thirteen wins already on the young season and each member of that pair added another win to his tally on Monday.

Primo Uomo (Heston Blue Chip) has enjoyed a dominant 2023 campaign thus far and the Dave Dewhurst-trained pacer moved his record to seven for nine this season behind a front-running score in the $12,500 first leg of the Dr. Richard Frank Memorial Pace. The sophomore was piloted to a 1:55.2 victory by Jimmy Devaux to hold off his race’s major danger William Hanover (Leon Bailey) and record the win.

The Melissa Beckwith-trained Boozer (Huntsville) moved his record to eight for ten on the year with a wire-to-wire win of his own. In recording his leg one victory, Boozer held off pocket-sitting Excursion (Billy Dobson) who began his season with a four-for-four record himself before coming up second-best on Monday. Boozer was leg one’s fastest winner as he stopped the timer in a lifetime best 1:54.4 for driver Brett Beckwith.

The other Dr. Richard Frank Memorial Pacing Series leg one winner was Astaires Arsenal (In The Arsenal) who has also had the winning way this year and scored in 1:56.1 on Monday for his fourth victory in six seasonal starts. The three year old was piloted to the win by Billy Dobson for trainer Misty Carey.

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

Mike Sardella

Photo: Jessica Hallett

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

Boozer (Huntsville) has been as sharp as any horse in the opening months of the racing season at Saratoga Casino Hotel and on Monday afternoon, the Melissa Beckwith trainee put in a career-best effort. Brett Beckwith pilots Boozer who rattled off four consecutive victories at Saratoga in March before finishing second in a start at Plainridge early in April.

On Monday, the three year old pacer was heavily backed as the 1-9 betting favorite and looked every bit the part. Boozer marched out to the early lead and never looked back before cruising to a decisive victory of more than five lengths. The final time of 1:55.2 served as a new lifetime mark for Boozer who won for the seventh time in nine starts in the ’23 campaign. The sophomore is owned by his trainer Melissa Beckwith in partnership with George Zitone of Montague, NJ. Boozer’s Monday score came while competing in a $9,500 event for colt and gelding pacers.

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

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York