Mr Mclaren N won for the fourth time in the Open Pace since arriving from Australia when, on Saturday, July 26 at Saratoga Casino Hotel, Larry Stalbaum moved the eight-year-old to the early lead and never looked back.
After shipping to the United States from Down Under earlier this year, Mr Mclaren N won three Opens in the springtime and then took more than a month off leading up to a start in last week’s featured race for pacers.
Following an unsuccessful return try, Mr Mclaren N proved ready to roll in this week’s installment of the $21,918 Open and powered out to the front-end. Stalbaum, who owns and trains the Kiwi-bred, got him to the quarter in :27.2 before slowing things down to reach the half in a leisurely :57.4. Talking Tom (Leon Bailey) sat the pocket while Soho Skyfall A (Jay Randall) followed that pair along the pylon path through three-quarters in 1:26.1. The outer flow didn’t thrive, and the top three finished just as they started with Mr Mclaren N prevailing by a neck in 1:54 over Talking Tom. Soho Skyfall A completed the triactor.
Mr Mclaren N, a son of Mach Three-Miss Elsie, paid $11 to win in the mild upset. Mr Mclaren N joins The Good Doctor and Lanjo Lee as four-time Open Pace winners at the Spa this season. The eight-year-old is now a 19-time winner in 70 lifetime starts.
Leading trainer Melissa Beckwith padded her margin further with a triple on 12-dash program. All three winners were driven by her son Brett, who leads the drivers' standings, starting with a dominant Watch Your Mouth ($2.80) in the first race in 1:55.1. They then combined to win the ninth race with Wichita Lineman ($6.30), who was clocked in 1:55.2, and they took the finale in 1:55.1 with Kneedeep N Custard ($4.30). Melissa Beckwith has won 125 races at The Spa this year, 44 more than her nearest rival.
Live racing resumes on Monday afternoon at Saratoga with a noon first post. There will be a Pick 5 carryover of $2,136 in the matinee’s first race.
(With files from Saratoga Raceway)