Velocity Vespa (I Scoot Hanover) scored her second consecutive win in the Friday feature at Saratoga Casino Hotel as the Rich Banca-trained mare cruised to a wire-to-wire victory in the $15,000 Fillies and Mares Open. The six year old distaffer was claimed by Banca two weeks ago and went coast to coast in 1:52.1 in her debut for her new connections last week. On Friday night, Velocity Vespa was the race’s 1-2 betting favorite and cruised out to the early lead in a first quarter paced in 27.3. Reinsman Jimmy Devaux gave the mare a bit of a second quarter breather before she was met with the challenge of a first over Bazooka Terror (Billy Dobson). Velocity Vespa paced away from her rivals in a 27.3 final quarter and scored a decisive four length victory, stopping the timer in 1:52.2. Bazooka Terror was the runner up in the Friday feature for the seventh time this season while Campanile (Austin Siegelman) earned the show spot. For Velocity Vespa, it was win number 13 on the season in twenty tries following a 2015 campaign in which she won eleven times.
Live racing continues on Saturday night at Saratoga with first post time set for 7:05pm.
Mike Sardella
Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino