Canadian-owned pacing mare Arizona earned her first stateside victory on Tuesday afternoon, March 19, taking the $20,270 Fillies & Mares Open Handicap Pace at Saratoga Casino Hotel.
Trained by Mark Beckwith while racing in the U.S. for Wendy Warren Timpano of Campbellville, Ont., Arizona had post seven in an eight-horse distaff feature and driver Brett Beckwith found some early speed from the five-year-old Up The Credit mare, who marched to the front-end. The fractions were fast as Arizona clicked off opening panels in :27 and :56.3 before being confronted by Saratoga's defending Horse of the Year, Always Watching (Jordan Derue), who toughed it out first-over. The trip took its toll on the track’s top horse of 2023 and Arizona put that one away around the final turn. Pocket-sitting favourite Swedish Starlet N (Matt Athearn) took her shot at Arizona in the stretch, but the chase proved futile as the Beckwith trainee held on to win in 1:55.
Arizona paid $4.90 to win. Swedish Starlet N was second-best to complete a $9.20 exacta while Always Watching held on to be third and round out a $59.50 triple.
The win was the second from six outings this year for Arizona, who has been racing south of the border this month. In 2023, she tied for most wins in Canada by a pacing mare with 15 victories from just 31 starts at racetracks across Ontario for breeder/trainer Mike Timpano. Saratoga counts as the sixth different racetrack she has conquered.
The feature score was one of three on the day for the Mark Beckwith stable and one of six for reinsman Brett Beckwith, who has gotten his 2024 campaign off to a sensational start.
Live harness racing resumes on Saturday evening with a first post time set for 5 p.m.
(With files from Saratoga Casino Hotel)