Velocity Vespa continued her sensational 2016 campaign on Friday night (September 30) at Saratoga Casino Hotel.

The Rich Banca-trained mare recorded win number 17 on the season as she went coast to coast in the $16,000 Fillies and Mares Open.

Velocity Vespa is a dominant force when she makes the lead, but has been a non-factor when having to come from off the pace. That trend continued on Friday night when the six-year-old I Scoot Hanover mare marched out to the early lead in a first quarter of :27.1 and never looked back. Facing a bid from the first over favourite Mosquito Blue Chip (Bruce Aldrich Jr.), Velocity Vespa dug in and put that one away turning for home.

So Nice (Austin Siegelman), maybe the most consistent force in the Friday feature this year, closed sharply up the inside and finished second. She has now been the runner-up in four consecutive tries in the local Open.

Velocity Vespa’s 17th seasonal score came in 1:53.1. The race’s second choice in the wagering at odds of 8-5, Velocity Vespa led an exacta that paid $26.40 and a triple that returned $69.50 in the six-horse feature.

The standout distaffer was piloted to the win by Jimmy Devaux for Delegance Stable IX, T L P Stable, Carmen Iannacone, and The Gandolfo Stables.

(With files from Saratoga)