Shecouldbegood N lengthened her win streak to five on Monday (July 10) afternoon at Saratoga Casino Hotel after winning the $17,000 Open for fillies and mares.
Trainer Luke Hanners claimed the 10-year-old mare in late May and enjoyed immediate success with the veteran distaffer. Shecouldbegood N rattled off four consecutive victories, including one that was in a lifetime best 1:52.1, before stepping up to make her first career start in the Fillies and Mares Open on Monday. Shawn Gray catch-drove for Hanners, who continues to recover from injuries sustained in an on-track accident.
Gray took Shecouldbegood N back at the start to not get involved in what wound up being a pretty significant speed duel in the early going. Her co-favourite, Our Lady Lara A (Jimmy Devaux), powered into the lead in a fast first quarter of :26.4 before backing it down to :57.3 in the first half. Shecouldbegood N began to progress mildly from off the pace and just kept grinding away, leading up to a stretch drive that would result in a blanket finish. When the dust settled, Shecouldbegood N emerged with her first Open score in a race that saw all seven participants finish within a length and a quarter of each other. Always Watching (Jordan Derue) closed to finish second while Our Lady Lara A had to settle for third. The final time on the clock read 1:54.4.
Shecouldbegood N, a daughter of Well Said, is owned by Michael Milazzo of Goshen, New York and she took her seventh win of the season from 18 starts. Co-favoured at odds of 9-5, Shecouldbegood N paid $5.70 to win.
Doubling up for the day, the owner-trainer-driver connections of the Open winner teamed up again later in the card for a victory with claiming pacing mare HS Shauna.
The live racing calendar will feature Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening for the next two months with first post time each evening set for 6:45 p.m.
(Saratoga Casino Hotel)