Ohio champion My Tweed Heart scored the first win of her four-year-old campaign in the $13,000 Fillies & Mares Open Handicap Pace at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Friday night (April 21).
Making just her second start at the Spa, the Kyle Spagnola-trained daughter of Manhardt had to work hard every step of the way on Friday night as she was pressured throughout the mile.
My Tweed Heart put up sizzling fractions of :27.1 and :55 in the first half while parking out last week’s Open winner, Little Santamonica (Jim Devaux). The race’s favourite, Her Own Land (Mark Beckwith), made a three-wide move and drew alongside My Tweed Heart before those two had a tug of war throughout the final quarter of the 1:53.2 mile.
My Tweed Heart held on to win by a neck and returned $7 to her backers at the betting windows. The exacta, with the favourite second, paid $15.20 while the triple, with Albany Girl (Stephane Bouchard) third, came back $46.80.
My Tweed Heart was driven to victory by Frank Coppola Jr. for owner W J Donovan.
Live racing continues on Saturday night at Saratoga with a first post set for 6:45 p.m.
(With files from Saratoga Casino Hotel)