The start of the Step Up To The Plate Claiming Series for fillies and mares kicked off Tuesday afternoon (March 21) at Saratoga Casino Hotel. 

The series, which was set to kick off last week before the race card was cancelled due to a snow storm, featured three $12,500 divisions of the first leg for distaffers. Much like the series’ for pacing colts and geldings and the one for trotters, the favourites did not thrive.

Longshot Broadway Role picked up her first win of the season when she outclosed her rivals to prevail in 1:56.4. Chris Long piloted the leg one winner, a five-year-old daughter of Roll With Joe, for owner Leonard Sinisgalli and trainer Bob Leslie.

Ol Little Shift continued her stable’s recent hot streak when she swooped the group to score in her division of leg one of the series. Leon Bailey sat behind the Jesse McAssey-trained four-year-old Western Vintage mare, who recorded her second consecutive victory, stopping the timer in 1:57.4 for owner Adam Friedland at odds of 4-1.

The fastest leg one winner was Cenalta Call Girl, who completed a huge day for her connections. Conditioner Melissa Beckwith scored a training triple on the card when Cenalta Call Girl came from well off the pace to power past her rivals and secure leg one’s fastest victory in a time of 1:56.1. Brett Beckwith guided the nine-year-old Allamerican Merlin mare to her score, giving the young reinsman four winners on the matinee program. Cenalta Call Girl is owned by Bret Pisarski.

Leg two will take place next Tuesday (March 28) in a series that will feature three legs leading up to a final, which will go for a purse of more than $30,000.

Live racing resumes on Saturday evening (March 21) at Saratoga with first post time set for 5 p.m.

(Saratoga Casino Hotel)