On Wednesday (August 9) at Saratoga Casino Hotel, So Nice, by Ponder, recorded her third consecutive victory, as the star distaffer prevailed in the $14,000 Fillies and Mares Open.
So Nice had won the local Open in mid-July, which was the last time the Amber Buter trainee had come to town. Following a victory at Yonkers Raceway in her last start, it was back to ‘the Spa’ for the seven-year-old mare who was Saratoga’s Filly and Mare Pacer of the Year last season.
During Wednesday’s $14,000 feature, So Nice sat the pocket behind the race’s odds-on favourite, Godiva Seelster. So Nice blasted by in the final eighth of the mile and hit the wire first in 1:53.3. Godiva Seelster was the runner-up while last week’s Open winner, Stylish Beachwhere, came on for third.
So Nice, who moved over the half-million-dollar mark in career earnings with last week’s win, paid $8.20 to win on Wednesday. The exacta with the favourite second paid $18.40, while the triple in the six-horse feature returned $42.60.
Jimmy Devaux, who drove Twisted Pretzel to a win in Tuesday night’s Open Trot, piloted So Nice to the score in the Wednesday feature.
Live racing at Saratoga will resume on Friday night. First post is set for 7:05 p.m.
(With files from Saratoga)