Milky Way Rae had little difficulty handling the step up in company on Friday night (May 19) at Saratoga Casino Hotel.
The Heidi Rohr trainee was coming off a win in the conditional ranks when she stepped up into the $13,000 Fillies and Mares Open on Friday night. Billy Dobson has become the regular pilot for the four-year-old American Ideal mare whose early speed is her best asset.
Flashing that speed in the feature, Fortunate One LLC's Milky Way Rae made the lead in a :26.4 first quarter and sizzled through a half in :55.4. Feeling just mild pressure before reaching the top of the stretch, the talented distaffer faced a host of challengers in the lane but proved to be up to the task. Milky Way Rae stopped the timer in a seasonal best 1:53.1 to record her third win of the season, two of which came in the Open. Godiva Seelster (Shawn Gray) was the runner-up in the Friday feature while Her Own Land (Mark Beckwith) closed for third behind the 4-1 shot winner.
Dobson and Rohr teamed up for another victory on the card as pacing mare Keene Olivia (sired by Always A Virgin) recorded her second consecutive win despite being parked the entire first half of the mile before drawing off to prevail in 1:53.4.
Live racing continues on Saturday evening with a 6:45 p.m. first post.
(With files from Saratoga Casino Hotel)