Vel Straight Out overcame post eight to prevail at 10-1 odds in the Tuesday, Feb. 4 feature at Saratoga Casino Hotel as part of a training triple on the program for Tammy Sowers.
Vel Straight Out came to town off back-to-back wins in the Fillies and Mares Open at Monticello Raceway, but drew post eight for her first Spa start. Competing in a $17,391 conditioned optional claiming pace for distaffers, the five-year-old Straight Shooting-Yancee mare got away sixth from the eight-hole and remained there at the half-mile pole after the race’s top two betting choices sparred for the lead. Driver Dan Rawlings tipped Vel Straight Out three deep around the final turn and the sharp mare kept making progress until completing her swoop of the group to score in 1:56.2 over the 'good' track conditions. Another longshot, Always Watching (Jordan Derue), closed to be second at 18-1, finishing 1-3/4 lengths behind the winner, while the top three was rounded out by Magical Mistress (Jimmy Devaux).
Vel Straight Out improved to three-for-three in 2025 and now has 22 career wins with earnings approaching $130,000. She returned $22.40 to her backers at the betting windows.
The mare was one of three winners on the 12-race card for her connections -- Rawlings, Sowers and owner Cliff Grundy of Boca Raton, Florida. That winning partnership also scored with a pair of Spa newcomers, four-year-old pacing mares Marced Rain ($4.40) and Catch My Breath ($3.10).
The Jaymes McAssey stable is off to a strong start this season at Saratoga, sweeping the meet's first Open events earlier this week, and added four more wins on Tuesday, including the season-debuting Maritime Breeders Stakes champion Downtown Tonight (Brett Beckwith, $6.50). McAssey acquired the Shanghai Phil-Fanciful mare late last year and she earned her first stateside victory in 1:59.1.
McAssey's other Tuesday winners were Violets Rainbow (Matthew Athearn, $4.10), Think Ahead (Jimmy Devaux, $3.30) and Greystone Treasure (Athearn, $18).
Live harness racing resumes at Saratoga on Monday at 12 noon.
(With files from Saratoga Casino Hotel)