With no Fillies and Mares Open on the docket on Wednesday afternoon, a $10,000 conditional event for the ladies served as the feature at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Misty Memory N (Real Desire) took her shot in the Open last week and despite getting some support from the bettors never factored much in the big race for distaffers. On Wednesday, the Brett Derue trainee drew the rail off the class drop and wound up as the 8-5 public choice in the wagering. Jimmy Devaux piloted Misty Memory N and the meet’s second leading driver was aggressive from the get-go in the feature powering out to the early lead. The eight year old New Zealand invader never faced a legit challenge before pouring it on late to prevail by five and a half lengths in 1:55. Hereslooknatyou N (Phil Fluet) raced parked throughout the majority of the mile but still held strong to finish second while Glenferrie Blade A (Billy Dobson) came on to be third. Misty Memory N paid $5.40 to win and led an exacta and triple that returned $17.40 and $83.50, respectively. The victory was the second of the season for Misty Memory N who has hit the board in nine of her twelve starts in 2021 for owners Picarazzi, Petillo and Derue, all of NY.

Live racing resumes on Monday afternoon starting at Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

With the Open Trot not carded this week at Saratoga Casino Hotel, the Monday feature was a $10,700 event for trotters. After a couple of scratches in the featured race, razor sharp Lazzaro (Billy Dobson) wound up as the public’s 1-5 betting favorite. The Monica Krist trainee came into the race on a four-race win streak and has been getting better every week. Staying at pretty much the same level as last week’s win, Lazzaro appeared poised to extend his streak on Monday but rival Knight Angel (Archangel) had something to say about it. Knight Angel, who is trained by Andy Byler, came in off an upset win last week (April 19) in which he went last to first in a nine-horse race. Parked the entire mile, Knight Angel was still only fifth turning for home but found another gear in the stretch before coming on to score while dismissed at odds of 9-1.

This week, Knight Angel drew post four and went off at 4-1 while tasked with taking on the red-hot Lazzaro. Longshot leader JNR Express (John Stark Jr) was carving out the fractions on the lead and Knight Angel again moved early resulting in him being two-wide for the majority of the mile. He did tuck in behind JNR Express briefly as they trotted towards three-quarters but was back out for the drive and beat Lazzaro to the punch. Knight Angel cruised by JNR Express to take the lead but the favorite had open road and had every chance to go by in the lane. The chase was futile and Knight Angel stopped the timer in 1:57.2 to complete back-to-back jacks. Lazzaro’s win streak came to an end though he did finish a strong second while JNR Express held on for third. Knight Angel paid $10.60 to win and led an exacta and triple that came back $23.40 and $69.50, respectively. Brian Cross drove Knight Angel to his pair of victories and is now two-for-two piloting the Byler-trained five year old this season.

Live racing continues on Tuesday afternoon at Saratoga with a Noon first post.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

Macheasy A (Mach Three) has been making it look easy in his short time at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Rob Harmon-trained pacer raced for the third time at the Spa on Tuesday and moved his record to three-for-three. And he isn’t just winning. The eight year old has won the Open Pace in all three of his local tries. Jay Randall sat behind the top-flight pacer once again on Tuesday as he started from post six in the six-horse feature. Macheasy A parlayed pocket trips to victory to record his first two Open wins but this week the method changed a bit. One of two even-money shots in the $14,000 feature, Macheasy A powered out to the early lead in a 27.3 first quarter. The Aussie invader got a bit of a breather while reaching the half in 57 seconds before clicking off three-quarters in 1:24.4. Co-favored Moonshine Kisses (Billy Dobson) reversed roles with Macheasy A after cutting the mile in last week’s Open and sat the two-hole to the razor sharp rival. He took his shot in the stretch but the chase was futile as Macheasy A recorded the rare Open hat trick, stopping the timer in 1:53.1 in his third consecutive Open score. Moonshine Kisses was the runner-up once again this week while American Zest A (Larry Stalbaum) finished third. The exacta paid $7.70 while the triple came back $17.60 with the favorites thriving in the feature. Randall has now won three of the last four features at Saratoga while sitting behind Harmon trainees as Shecouldbegood N prevailed in the top race for fillies and mares at the Spa last Wednesday.

Live racing continues on Wednesday afternoon with a first set for Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

For the second consecutive week, Birch Island Betty (Big Jim) swooped the group to win the Fillies and Mares Open at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Eve Bergeron trainee recorded her first ever victory in the feature for distaffers last week when she tipped three-wide before charging home to score in 1:53.1. On Tuesday, the five year old was assigned the outside post in the $8,500 Open and driver Mitch Cushing settled in last in the seven-horse feature. The early speed was sizzling as the favorite in the race went to the quarter in a demanding 26.2 before reaching the half in 55.2 At that point, the backfield was in motion as last week’s Open runner-up Come Get The Cash (John Macdonald) and Birch Island Betty joined the outer flow and began to thrive after three quarters went in 1:24.2. Come Get The Cash struck the lead in the stretch but Birch Island Betty just kept surging before coming on to prevail in the photo for win in a mile clocked in 1:54.1. Birch Island Betty, who is owned by Dany Grenier of Quebec, Canada, recorded her fifth victory in fifteen seasonal tries, paying $11.80 to win. Come Get The Cash was the runner-up for the second consecutive week in the Open and completed an exacta that returned $58.50. Bontz N (Billy Dobson) rounded out the exact same triple as in last week’s feature. The triple returned a solid $163. Come Get The Cash came up just short of what would have resulted in a grand slam for her connections as trainer Brandy Wine and driver John Macdonald teamed up for three wins on the Tuesday card.

Live racing resumes next Monday (Sept 28) at Saratoga with a first post time set for Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Cheyanne Mandy