Saratoga Casino Hotel's current leading driver with a 100-win lead over his competitors, Brett Beckwith, extended his win count on Sunday afternoon, Sept. 22 with another tally of five trips to the winner's circle.
Beckwith started the afternoon card with a win in the opener, a $10,135 conditioned trot, with Joel Flanders' Wolfpack Valvano ($3.80). Driven by Beckwith to a 1-1/2-length triumph in 2:01.4, the three-year-old Dover Dan-Vandalous gelding has won three of his last four starts. Joel and Karen Flanders own the winner.
The young reinsman followed with a double for his dad, trainer Mark Beckwith, scoring first with Fix A Drink ($5) by 2-1/2 lengths in 1:58.4 in a $6,757 conditioned trot named the Billy Mattison 10th Annual Memorial Trot. Then, in the top class of the card, a $15,541 conditioned trot, the Beckwiths teamed up again for a gate-to-wire victory by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:57.1 with No Turning Back ($6.70).
Circuit Party ($3.70), trained by Dan Cappello Jr., gave Beckwith his fourth win of the day, winning a $9,797 conditioned trot by 3-3/4 lengths in 1:58.2.
Finally, Beckwith and trainer Barry White teamed up to send Osodevious ($5.60) to the track a winner by a half-length in 1:58 in a $10,811 conditioned trot.
Brett Beckwith has 254 wins on the year at the Spa to date with more than $2 million in purse earnings. At just 21 years old, he also currently holds the lead in the driver standings at Plainridge Park and sits second in the North American driving wins category.
(Saratoga Casino Hotel; Photo of Brett Beckwith driving his first Sunday winner, Wolfpack Valvano)