Always Watching became the second distaffer to win the Fillies and Mares Open four times this season at Saratoga Casino Hotel when Jordan Derue’s talented five-year-old pacer went coast-to-coast in the $15,000 feature on Monday, Sept. 18.

Always Watching has hit the board in every one of her starts dating back to early summer and, on Monday, she survived a win photo to prevail over a sloppy track.

Derue owns, trains and drives Always Watching, who moved out to the front-end and carved out first-half fractions of 27 and 56 seconds. The co-second choice in the wagering at odds of 5-2, Always Watching was tracked every step of the way by the race’s favourite, Oaxacan Dream N (Jimmy Devaux), who drew even in the stretch with the leader before coming up just shy in a close photo for win.

Always Watching stopped the timer in 1:53.2 for her fifth victory of the year and fourth in the local Open.

Oaxacan Dream N completed a $26.40 exacta while American Tour N (Wally Hennessey) rounded out a $141.50 triple.

Always Watching, a daughter of Hes Watching and an earner of more than $100,000 in 2022, is well on her way to another six-digit campaign in ’23. Her fourth score in the Mares Open matches La Bella Vita N for most for any mare this season at the Spa. 

Live harness racing resumes on Saturday evening with a first post time of 5 p.m. There will be a $2,649 carryover in the early Pick Five, a wager that begins in the first race.  

(With files from Saratoga Casino Hotel)