Trainer Melissa Beckwith’s stable has put forth a few different pacing mares of late that have thrived in the Fillies and Mares Open at Saratoga Casino Hotel.
On Monday (Oct. 17), Probert was the distaffer out of the Beckwith barn to race in the $16,000 feature and although she drew the outside post in the six-horse Open, Probert appeared poised to thrive while coming off a second-place finish last week. Brett Beckwith piloted Probert to that runner-up try and once again sat behind the five-year-old Dali mare on Monday.
The 19-year-old reinsman flashed early speed with Probert, who had been doing the majority of her best work from the back of the pack in recent months. The morning-line favourite went off at odds of 3-1 in Monday’s feature and cruised through a first half in :56.3. Feeling just mild pressure, Probert stepped on the gas and paced away late in the mile to win the Open in 1:53.4 over a tracked labeled ‘sloppy.’ Longshot Always Watching (Jordan Derue) gobbled up some ground in the stretch to finish second while Alittlesidehustl N finished third to hit the board for the fifth consecutive week in the Open.
For Probert, the win was the second Open victory at the Spa in the last month. The winner is owned by Howard Jacobs, Jim Winske and Marcus Kemblowski.
Live harness racing resumes on Saturday evening with first post time set for 5 p.m.
(With files Saratoga)