On Tuesday, July 21 at Saratoga Casino Hotel, odds-on favourite Bontz N ($3.70) recorded a gate-to-wire win in 1:55.1 during the featured race of the afternoon, which was an $8,500 Fillies and Mares Open Handicap.
Shawn Gray steered Bontz N for trainer Gary Levine. The nine-year-old daughter of American Ideal started from Post 6 and parked to the lead through the :27.4 quarter. The duo went on to cut the middle fractions (:58.1, 1:27) before they paced home in :28.1 to record a half-length victory. The pocket-sitting Thats Incredible finished second, while Barynya A finished further back in third.
Bontz N led an exacta and triple that returned $9.70 and $55, respectively.
Bontz N, who has been the female force among pacers at Saratoga this season, has now won five of the track's Filly and Mare Opens this year.
Bontz N’s trainer Gary Levine came into the week atop the local 2020 trainer standings, but conditioner Melissa Beckwith piled up three wins on the Tuesday card, and both she and Levine remain very close at the top. With the driving victory in the ladies’ Open, Shawn Gray has now piloted the winner of the most recent installment of the Fillies and Mares Open, the Open Pace and Open Trot.
Live racing at Saratoga will continue on Wednesday evening (July 22) with a New York Sire Stakes-heavy program, as two-year-old pacing colts and geldings will be featured.
Saratoga's first post on Wednesday will be at 7:15 p.m.
(With files from Saratoga Casino Hotel)