Always Watching continued her recent dominance in the Fillies and Mare Open at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Monday afternoon (Oct. 23).
Jordan Derue owns, trains and drives the five-year-old Hes Watching distaffer, who drew post seven in the seven-horse feature and was content to come away last in the $15,000 Open for the ladies.
With the favourite setting fast fractions of :26.4 and :56.3 on the engine, Always Watching sat patiently back before making her move approaching the three-quarter pole. When Derue tipped his stable star to the far outside, she meant business picking off her rivals one by one en route to a 1:54.3 victory.
Her fourth consecutive win was her seventh of the season in the local Fillies and Mares Open and her eighth overall in 2023 from 23 starts. With the earnings from her most recent score, Always Watching moved her seasonal bankroll over the $100,000 plateau for the second straight year.
Longshot Shecandance N (Brett Beckwith) closed to finish second in her local debut while longshot HS Shauna (Luke Hanners) earned the show spot. Always Watching paid $6.10 to win and led an exacta and triple that returned $73.50 and $963, respectively.
Live harness racing resumes on Saturday evening at Saratoga with a first post time set for 5 p.m.
(Saratoga Casino Hotel)