On Monday afternoon (April 29), Ontario-bred pacing mare Always Watching did what she so often does at Saratoga Casino Hotel and that’s win an Open.
Jordan Derue owns, trains and drives Always Watching, who was named Horse of the Year at Saratoga in 2023 following a season in which she won the local Fillies and Mares Open nine times. The six-year-old Hes Watching mare headed into her Monday tilt with a pair of Open victories to her credit in ’24 and drew post four for her assignment in the $20,548 feature.
The public’s 1-2 betting favourite, Always Watching, wound up with a tough first-over trip on rival Alittlesidehustl N (Billy Dobson), who dictated the terms throughout three-quarters that went in 1:25.2 over the 'good' track. Always Watching paced to the flank of the leader and ground her into submission in the stretch when Alittlesidehustl N succumbed to the pressure of the favourite before ending up third. Longshot Perfect Queen (Brett Crawford) shook loose late to get up for second behind Always Watching, whose Monday win was clocked in 1:54.1 and was her third in nine seasonal starts.
The exacta in the feature paid $33.20 while the triple came back $78.50.
The win was one of a pair on the day for Derue as an owner/trainer/driver, as his Cupid Express prevailed for the second consecutive start, trotting to a 1:58.1 seasonal best score that came in upset fashion while dismissed at odds of 8-1.
Live harness racing resumes on Saturday evening with a 5 p.m. first post time.
(With files from Saratoga Casino Hotel; Photo of Always Watching in a previous win)