Clover continues her winning ways

Clover (Sportswriter) continued her terrific harness racing season on Monday afternoon (June 17) at Saratoga Casino Hotel when she overcame her outside post to prevail in the $15,000 Fillies and Mares Open Pace.

The Mark Beckwith trainee returned to town just two weeks after setting a career-best 1:50.4 victory at Plainridge Park and drew post seven in the seven-horse feature.

Clover, a six-year-old mare, sat well off the pace in a first half that went in a fast 55.4 before reinsman Wally Hennessey cut the 3-5 betting favorite loose heading towards the three-quarter pole. Clover wound up putting the swoop to the group in resounding fashion to win for the eighth time in eighteen seasonal tries stopping the timer in 1:53.3 for the Open score.

For Beckwith and Hennessey, it was their second consecutive victory in the Fillies and Mares Open as that tandem combined for a win with distaffer Arizona in the June 10th installment of the $15,000 ladies’ feature.

Magical Maya A (Brian Cross) came from a long way back to finish second in the Open to complete a $18.60 exacta while Ashestodiamonds (Brett Crawford) rounded out a $133.50 triple. Clover is owned by Howard Jacobs of West Orange, NJ.

CLOVER REPLAY

Hennessey piloted three winners on the Monday card while Beckwith scored a training double.

Live racing resumes on Saturday evening at Saratoga with a 5pm first post.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Mike Sardella, for Saratoga Raceway