Canadian-owned pacing mare Arizona won the $20,270 Fillies and Mares Open Handicap at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Tuesday, April 2 when she put the swoop to the featured group.
Arizona, a five-year-old mare by Up The Credit, got away at the back of the seven-horse field when driver Brett Beckwith displayed patience with the Mark Beckwith trainee who was a wire-to-wire winner in the previous installment of the distaff Open at the Spa contested two weeks ago. Arizona trailed through the first half that went in :56.2 courtesy of the pacemaker, Alittlesidehustl N (Jay Randall). That one proved tough and gutsy on the lead and still appeared strong through three-quarters in 1:25.1 before Arizona powered up three-wide around the final turn. The Beckwith trainee got up to win by a head in 1:54.2. Alittlesidehustl N settled for second while favourite Magical Maya A (Larry Stalbaum) earned the show spot a half-length behind.
Arizona paid $7.10 to win as the 5-2 second choice and led an exacta and triple that returned $29.40 and $111.50, respectively.
A winner of 22 races from 49 starts and more than $150,000 lifetime, Arizona is owned by Wendy Timpano of Campbellville, Ont.
Brett Beckwith continues to pile up the victories as the meet’s leading driver, adding four more to his tally on Tuesday’s card with three of the wins for his father's stable.
Live harness racing resumes on Saturday evening with a first post time of 5 p.m.
(With files from Saratoga Casino Hotel)