Tuesday marked the conclusion of the eighth annual Virginia O’Brien Memorial Pacing Series at Saratoga Casino Hotel. As often is the case in Series Finals, the tempo was hot at the start of the $38,800 feature for fillies and mares with several distaffers battling for the early lead. The fast first-half fractions of 27.2 and 55.4 took their toll on the race’s favorite Dance Ticket (Chris Long) who fought gamely while tested every step of the mile. All the while, the backfield got into motion and it was longshot Vibrance (Betting Line) who overcame a difficult journey to charge past her rivals late to secure the upset score. After finishing second in leg two, Vibrance made good as the public’s top choice in the wagering in the third leg of the O’Brien Memorial heading into Tuesday’s Final. Steve Rybka, who trains and drives Vibrance for co-owners Treffi, Bartlett and Garlick, tipped her to the far outside past three-quarters before seeing the sophomore filly fly home late en route to clocking a career-best win time of 1:54.2 while dismissed at odds of 10-1. Dance Ticket was a gutsy second in the Final while Got Beach Body (Luke Hanners), the longshot shot on the board at 41-1, earned the show spot. Rybka became the eighth different driver and eighth different trainer to score victories in the eight year history of the Virginia O’Brien Memorial. Vibrance paid $22 to win in the upset and led an exacta and triple that returned $86 and $666, respectively.

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

There were two divisions of the second leg of the Virginia O’Brien Memorial Pacing Series contested on Tuesday afternoon at Saratoga Casino Hotel and both legs saw their winners put in career-best efforts. Red Dirt Hot Shot (Pang Shui) lowered her lifetime mark by three seconds while pulling off a mild upset in her $15,000 division of the series for fillies and mares. Leading driver Jimmy Devaux powered Red Dirt Hot Shot up to the outside of her race’s heavy favorite Dance Ticket (Chris Long).

Virginia O’Brien Memorial Pacing Series leg one winner Dance Ticket fought gamely but was passed in the final strides by Red Dirt Hot Shot who stopped the timer in 1:54.3. Red Dirt Hot Shot, a leg one runner-up, paid $8 to win in the second leg while punching her ticket to the series final. The four year old mare is owned by Picarazzi, Bullard and her trainer Brett Derue.

Stay Jelly (Stay Hungry) went coast-to-coast in the other division of leg two on Tuesday. Brett Beckwith catch-drove the three year old filly for trainer Michelle Crawford and took advantage of the inside post position to cut the mile. The sophomore filly, who was a second-place finisher in the series’ first leg, wired the field in a lifetime best 1:57 on Tuesday beating rivals Vibrance (Steve Rybka) and Celia B Money (Wally Hennessey) who finished second and third, respectively. Stay Jelly is owned by Dragon Tales Farm of Burnt Hills, NY. Beckwith piloted three winners on the Tuesday card.

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

Always Watching (He’s Watching) was a three-time Open winner last season at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Jordan Derue owns, trains and drives the mare who was one of the top handful of Open mares in 2022. After hitting the board in two of her first five tries in the ladies’ feature this year, Always Watching dropped in company last Tuesday (4/18) to record her first victory in ’23. On Tuesday, it was back to the Open for the Derue trainee who wasted no time moving out to the front-end in the $17,000 feature.

Setting first-half fractions of 27.4 and 57 seconds, Always Watching was met with the challenge of a first-over favorite as Probert (Brett Beckwith) came after the leader. The Derue trainee held firm to prevail in 1:54.1 to record her first Open score of the campaign. The 8-5 second choice in the wagering, Always Watching bested Probert by a length and a quarter to lead a $12.40 exacta. So Amazing (Leon Bailey) finished third to complete a $77 trifecta.

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

Mike Sardella

Photo: Jessica Hallett

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

Maczaffair N (Mach Three) went coast-to-coast in the Tuesday feature at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Chris Dubois trainee recorded her second win in the local Fillies and Mares Open this year when she drew away in the stretch from pocket-sitting rival So Amazing (Leon Bailey).

The ten year old Maczaffair N, an earner of over a half million dollars in her career, was pressured early on in a first half that went in 56.3 but powered away in the stretch to score by four and a half lengths in a mile clocked in 1:54.1. It was the fourth victory in seven starts in the 2023 season for the veteran distaffer.

So Amazing finished second at odds of 10-1 while Maczaffair N’s co-favorite Alittlesidehustl N (Jay Randall) came on to finish third. Maczaffair paid $6.20 to win and led an exacta and triple that came back $43.20 and $189, respectively. Jimmy Devaux piloted Macaffair N to the score in Tuesday’s $18,200 Open.

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

Mike Sardella

Photo: Jessica Hallett

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

Tuesday afternoon’s program at Saratoga Casino Hotel consisted of three divisions of the Step Up To The Plate Claiming Series for fillies and mares. Early on, it wasn’t looking like a day for the favorites in the series as the public’s odds-on favorites were defeated in the first two divisions. The first $17,500 division of leg three saw Nora Tova (Western Terror) post the fastest win the day as the Phil Fluet-trained and driven five year old outclosed her rivals to score in 1:56.2. Paying $8.20 to win, Nora Tova got the best of two-leg series winner Ol Little Shift (Leon Bailey) who had to settle for second-best on Tuesday. Nora Tova likely punched her ticket to next week’s Series Final which is set to go for a purse of upwards of $30,000. The distaffer is owned by Joe Stanislowsky of Queensbury, NY.

Doyoukissfirstdate (American Ideal) sprung a mild upset on Tuesday aided by a break made by the race’s favorite. Jaymes McAssey trains the six year old Doyoukissfirstdate who got the early lead and never looked back before stopping the timer in 1:57.1. It was the second start for the mare out of the stable of McAssey who currently sits in the top three in the local trainer standings. Doyoukissfirstdate, who was driven to victory by Luke Hanners, paid $12 to win in the mild upset. The winner is owned by Lases Racing of Sheridan, MI.

A favorite finally prevailed in the final division of the day and prevailed decisively. American Tour N (American Ideal) came in off a victory in leg two of the series which saw her put the swoop to the group to score at odds of 4-1. On Tuesday, the Brett Derue trainee grabbed the early lead and made it look easy going coast-to-coast in 1:54.3 to record the fastest win of any division of the series in the three legs leading into next week’s Final. American Tour N, who is owned in partnership by Derue and Steve Picarazzi, was piloted to the Tuesday romp by Jimmy Devaux while the overwhelming betting choice at odds of 2-5.

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

Photo: Jessica Hallett

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

Alittlesidehustl N (He’s Watching) has been a consistent factor in her time in the Fillies and Mares Open at Saratoga Casino Hotel. While the Jackie Greene trainee has hit the board numerous times while competing against the track’s top distaffers, the New Zealand invader hadn’t won the ladies’ feature. That was until Tuesday afternoon. In the latest installment of the $18,200 Open, Alittlesidehustl N drew post five in what wound up being an eight-horse feature following a scratch. Though a leisurely pace was being set by the favorite in the early going, the backfield got in motion past the half and Racey Rach N (Chris Long) began to close in first-over with Alittlesidehustl N not far behind. The tandem swallowed up the leader turning for home and when Alittlesidehustl N was fanned to the far outside by reinsman Jay Randall, she meant business. The five year old came charging hard around the final turn before storming home to score in 1:56.2 and add “Saratoga Open winner” to her resume. Racey Rach N hit the board for the third time in three Open tries when she was the runner-up on Tuesday while Always Watching (Jordan Derue) earned the show spot. Alittlesidehustl N paid $8.40 to win in her first local Open victory and led an exacta and triple that returned $24.80 and $161. The feature winner is owned by Kellogg Racing Stables and Jackie Green Stables of New York.

Live racing resumes on Saturday evening at Saratoga with a 5pm start to the program.

Photo: Jessica Hallett

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

Tuesday’s installment of the Fillies and Mares Open at Saratoga Casino Hotel went the way that so many have this season. Surreal Feeling (So Surreal) has been the dominant force in the ladies’ feature all year long and the top-flight six year old mare was back at it in Tuesday’s feature. With Alek Chartrand at the controls, Surreal Feeling powered out to the early lead in the $15,000 Open and never looked back. The Dale Lawton-trained distaffer went the distance to prevail in 1:54.3 to record her twelfth win of the season and her ninth in the local Open this season. Surreal Feeling, who hasn’t finished worse than second in the Open since mid-summer, held off a late bid from pocket-sitting Birch Island Betty (Billy Dobson) who wound up finishing second. It was the fifth consecutive week in which that she hit the board in the local Open. Miss Irish Rose A earned the show spot in the feature. Surreal Feeling, who paid $3.20 to win, led an exacta and triple that came back $13 and $56.50, respectively. The winner is owned by her trainer Dale Lawton as well as Chris Lawton. She is the clear favorite to be named Filly and Mare Pacer of the Year at the Spa as the awards will be given out this year after there was no ceremony last season.

Live racing resumes on Sunday afternoon at Saratoga with a first post time of noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser

Chasethecloudsaway (Sunshine Beach) moved her record to two-for-two at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Tuesday afternoon. The Chris Petrelli-trained distaffer scored in the Fillies and Mares Open for the second consecutive week as she came from off the pace to repeat in the $15,000 Tuesday feature. Last week, Chasethecloudsaway toughed out a trip on the outside before drawing away from her rivals to win in 1:54 and spring the upset at odds of 25-1 in her local debut. On Tuesday, driver Luke Hanners again came from off the pace with the mare who was bet down to even money by the betting public. Surreal Feeling (Alek Chartrand) was the runner-up to the winner in last week’s feature while trying to overcome post eight but in this week’s installment of the ladies’ Open moved right out to the front end. Clicking off speedy first half fractions of 26.3 and 56.2, Surreal Feeling held strong throughout before getting edged out late this week by Chasethecloudsaway in a mile clocked in 1:54. Surreal Feeling, perhaps the most dominant mare at the Spa this year, had to settle for second best while Birch Island Betty (Jimmy Devaux) earned the show spot. Chasethecloudsaway’s victory was her fourteenth of the season and paid $4.10 to win on Tuesday and led an exacta and triple that returned $6.40 and $18.60, respectively. The Open winner is owned by David Del Pozzo of Methuen, MA. The feature winner’s connections secured a double on Tuesday as Del Pozzo, Petrelli and Hanners’ Beauty Is Blind (Betterthancheddar) scored a front-running victory in an $11,500 race for pacing mares.

Live racing resumes on Sunday afternoon at Saratoga with a matinee starting at noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser

North Country (Roll With Joe) completed a sweep of the Bunny Lake Pacing Series on Tuesday afternoon at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Owned by Jeff Nanna of Utica, NY and trained by Monica Krist, North Country set a lifetime mark in the first leg of the series (October 12) when she paced to victory in 1:54.4. Heading into the Final off a win in leg two, North Country wound up as the public’s 3-5 betting favorite following a late scratch of potential favorite Pursuit Of Speed. Distaffer Tsimis (Jimmy Devaux) scored in her division of leg two of the series following a runner-up try to North Country in the first leg and cut the mile in the Tuesday feature which was contested over a sloppy track. Tsimis was game on the lead but when North Country tipped off her cover, it was over. The sophomore filly paced right past the leader before powering away to win by almost three lengths in a mile clocked in 1:56.2. Tsimis held second while longshot Miley Rose (Jay Randall) came on to be third. For North Country, it was victory number seven on the season in a year in which she has now earned over $70,000. Billy Dobson drove the winner to all three of her victories in the series. Paying just $3.30 to win as the odds-on favorite, North Country led an exacta and triple that returned $9.60 and $91.50, respectively.

Live racing resumes on Sunday afternoon at Saratoga with a matinee set to kick off at noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser

Tuesday’s matinee featured two divisions of the second leg of the Bunny Lake Pacing Series at Saratoga Casino Hotel. North Country (Roll With Joe) emerged from leg two as the only repeat winner after Billy Dobson piloted the Monica Krist trainee to her second consecutive pocket-sitting victory. After setting a career-best 1:54.4 victory in leg one, North Country again got a two-hole trip on Tuesday while mirroring the moves of fellow leg one winner Gingerbred Girl (Larry Stalbaum). The race’s favorite, Always Watching (Shawn Gray), who finished third in the race in which North Country set her new lifetime mark, came first-over on Tuesday and slugged it out with Gingerbred Girl. North Country surged up the passing lane and got the best of her rivals while stopping the timer in 1:56.4 to head into next Tuesday’s (October 26) final of the Bunny Lake Pace as the one to beat. Always Watching finished second while Gingerbred Girl had to settle for third.

In the afternoon’s other division, Tsimis (Mach Three) toughed out a first-over victory for trainer Andy Gardner and reinsman Jimmy Devaux. Tsimis, the runner-up to North Country in leg one, had the daunting task of taking on her race’s big favorite Pursuit Of Speed (Larry Stalbum) who recorded the fastest win of the series heading into next week’s Final when she cruised to a 1:54.3 score in leg one. On Tuesday, the Stalbaum trainee was again tough on the lead but succumbed to the pressure late from Tsimis who proved best in 1:55.3 to spring the mild upset at odds of 5-1. The inaugural Bunny Lake Pace Final will go for a purse of upwards of $30,000 and will be the feature on the matinee next Tuesday (October 26).

Live racing resumes on Sunday at Saratoga with a card set to kick off at noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino