Saratoga Raceway's leading trainer Mark Beckwith sent out three more winners from this stable during 11-race afternoon card on Tuesday, Dec. 3.
Kicking off Beckwith's training triple, four-year-old pacer Prairie Classic ($23.60) overcame an outside post eight start to spring an upset at odds of 10-1 in the second race, leading most of the way and holding on by a neck in a 1:57 victory -- his 10th win of the campaign. In the fifth race, three-year-old pacer Swiss Cotton ($3.10) parlayed a pocket ride to a popular 1:55.1 score by three-quarters of a length in his first start at Saratoga for Beckwith before the veteran horseman's recent newcomer, three-year-old filly Fly Delta ($2.30), trotted her way to a 2:00.2 front-end score as the 1-9 betting favourite in the next race.
Prairie Classic is owned by Beckwith's son Brett, who drove all three winners. Both Swiss Cotton and Fly Delta are owned by William Hartt.
The Beckwiths picked up one more win apiece, with Mark in the sulky for trainer Joel Flanders' three-year-old trotter Wolfpack Valvano ($13) to open the card and Brett capping his day off in rein to the Jaymes McAssey-trained pacer Heavensway A ($3) in the 10th.
Mark and Brett Beckwith will be recognized on Sunday, Dec. 8 at Saratoga for their 2024 achievements. Mark has wrapped up the training title this season at the Spa while Brett, at the age of 21, will win his first local driver’s title in 2024.
Before that, Saratoga will host live harness racing on Saturday evening at Saratoga with a first post time of 5 p.m.
(With files from Saratoga Casino Hotel)