On a night filled with longshot winners at Saratoga Casino Hotel, Tataria (Four Starzzz Shark) upset in the $14,500 Fillies and Mares Open. One of three winners on the card for driver Mark Beckwith, Tataria sat the pocket behind Tipitina (Frank Coppola Jr) who set fast fractions on the front end. Surging up the inside in the stretch, Tataria stopped the timer in a lifetime best 1:52, scoring at odds of 7-1. Tipitina wound up second best while the favored Godiva Seelster (Wally Hennessey) had to settle for third. It was the first Open victory for Tataria who debuted at Saratoga for trainer Melissa Beckwith earlier in the meet. It was win number six in twenty tries in 2017 for the five year old mare who paid $16.80 to win. The exacta and triple with the favorites underneath returned $111.50 and $329.50, respectively. Six of the winners on the ten race program paid $14 or more to win with one paying as much as $58.50.
Live racing continues on Saturday night at Saratoga with a 6:45pm first post.
Mike Sardella
Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino
