Arizona scores again in super season

Arizona (Up The Credit) continued what has been an incredible year for her connections when the harness racing five year old won the Fillies and Mares Open on Monday afternoon at Saratoga Casino Hotel.

Trainer Mark Beckwith is in the midst of an historic season at the Spa and on Monday, he teamed up with Hall of Fame reinsman Wally Hennessey in the feature for the ladies.

Arizona drew post position three and went off as her race’s 4-5 betting favorite in the $15,000 Open when Hennessey moved her out to the early lead. Arizona was uncontested in a first lap that went in just 57.4 and really didn’t face a formidable challenge through three quarters in 1:25.4.

The distaffer, who came into Monday with eight wins on the year, four of which that took place in the local Open, had little difficulty completing her wire-to-wire victory stopping the timer in 1:54.1 for her fifth Open score at the Spa in ’24. Pocket-sitter Laurie Lee finished second while Huntressville A earned the show spot in a race that proved to be a difficult one to close into.

Hennessey and Beckwith teamed up for another win on the card when their Smooth Landing lived up to the hype at odds of 1-9 wiring the field in a $9,500 race for trotters on a day that saw Hennessey made five trips to the winner’s circle in total to continue what has been a masterful 2024 campaign for the veteran driver.

ARIZONA REPLAY

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

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

by Mike Sardella, for Saratoga Raceway