Chasethecloudsaway coasted to a 1:55.1 victory in Monday afternoon's (Feb. 21) $15,000 Fillies and Mares Winners Over/Open Handicap Pace at Saratoga Casino Hotel, and trainer Melissa Beckwith and driver Brett Beckwith teamed up for a hat trick on the undercard.
After starting from the outside post 7, the five-year-old daughter of Sunshine Beach worked clear of All Speed Rising through a :27.1 first quarter and then rated a :59.3 middle half. Uncontested through three-quarters in 1:26.4, Chasethecloudsaway turned on the jets with a :28.2 closing quarter, evading All Speed Rising by 1-3/4 lengths. Miss Irish Rose A finished third.
Luke Hanners drove Chasethecloudsaway for trainer Chris Petrelli and owner David Del Pozzo.
Precious Alexis led the Beckwith hat trick, powering away at 1-2 to win a $7,000 conditioned race for fillies and mares by 5-1/2 lengths in 1:55. Yummy Candy also made good at odds-on with a coast-to-coast 1:57.4 score in a $9,000 race for young fillies and mares, and Mc Kella led every step of the way through a $7,000 conditioned race before holding off Amini by a nose in 1:55.4.
In addition to the three winners from the Melissa Beckwith stable, Brett teamed up with Jaymes McAssey trainee Aintnohollabackgrl, who aired by seven lengths in 1:56.2, to complete a driving grand slam on the card.
Live racing at Saratoga resumes on Saturday evening (Feb. 26) with a 5 p.m. first post.
(with files from Saratoga Casino Hotel)