Bontz N continued her win streak in the Fillies and Mares Open at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Thursday as she changed tactics to score her fourth consecutive victory in the local feature.
Trainer Gary Levine thrived in 2019 after acquiring Bontz N who has enjoyed as good of a 2020 campaign as could be. Thursday was the fifth start of the season for the nine-year-old daughter of American Ideal who was assigned the outside post in the $8,500 feature.
Bontz N came into the race on a three-race win streak, which dated back to March, with all three of those wins coming in wire-to-wire fashion. In Thursday’s feature, driver Shawn Gray was forced to come from off the pace with the race’s 2-1 betting favourite but the closing style suited Bontz N just fine as she put the swoop to the group before stopping the timer in 1:54.1 to record her fourth win in as many tries.
The final time served as a new seasonal mark for the standout distaffer who has become the lady to beat this season at the Spa. Thats Incredible (Billy Dobson) came charging hard in the stretch to finish second while Jewels Forreal (Mark Beckwith) closed to be third. Bontz N paid $6.90 to win.
Live racing resumes on Sunday at Saratoga with a matinee beginning at 12 p.m. There will be a $3,885 carryover in the Pick Five pool with the Pick Five beginning in the afternoon’s first race.
(Saratoga Casino Hotel)