Always Watching recorded her second Fillies and Mares Handicap Open win of the season on Tuesday, April 9 as she went coast-to-coast in the matinee’s $20,270 feature at Saratoga Casino Hotel.
Jordan Derue owns, trains and drives the mare, who last year was the Horse of the Year at the Spa. Always Watching, a six-year-old by Hes Watching, won nine local Opens in 2023 and 10 races in total en route to almost $120,000 in earnings.
Tuesday’s victory in the Fillies and Mares Open was her second in 2024 and was a seasonal best effort in 1:54. Always Watching worked hard in lap one as she rattled off quarters off :27.2 and :55.4 before stealing a bit of a breather in the third quarter to the 1:25 mark. The Derue stable star held strong and had just enough to withstand the late bid from back-to-back Open winner Arizona (Brett Beckwith), who was the race’s favourite despite getting post eight and just missed by a head. Fond Memories A (Larry Stalbaum) earned the show spot finishing less than a length behind.
Always Watching paid $7.90 to win and led an exacta and triple that returned $17 and $78.50, respectively.
Live harness racing resumes on Saturday evening at Saratoga with a first post time set for 5 p.m.
(With files from Saratoga Casino Hotel)