Probert unleashed against Open field

The Fillies and Mares Open at Saratoga Casino Hotel has belonged to leading harness racing trainer Melissa Beckwith this year. Putting the finishing touches on her ninth training title this season, Beckwith has had two mares dominate the action in the regular Monday (Dec. 12) feature and this week scored her twelfth victory in the top race for the ladies.

Probert (Dali) came into her most recent try in the $16,000 feature as an owner of four Open wins this year despite racing well over half her races out of town in 2022. On Monday, Probert wound up as her race’s 1-5 betting favorite in the five-horse Open and took back in the early going.

In a half mile clocked in :59 seconds, the Beckwith trainee sat patiently before being unleashed by driver Brett Beckwith approaching the three-quarter pole. Resistance was futile for the rivals of Probert who surged past her competition en route to stopping the timer in 1:56.1 for her fifth Open score, a number that is second only to stablemate Sea Shadows and her seven Open victories among top-flight mares at the Spa this year.

Invader Newsy N (Ron Cushing) was the runner-up to Probert in a chalky $6.60 exacta while Pammy Jo (Shawn Gray) earned the show spot in a $17.80 triple.

PROBERT REPLAY

Probert, who is owned by Howard Jacobs, Jim Winske and Marcus Kemblowski, now has ten wins to her credit in a year in which she has piled up over $150,000 in earnings.

Live racing resumes on Saturday evening for closing weekend of the ’22 season. Saturday’s first post time is 5pm to be followed by closing day’s matinee on Sunday which will kick off at noon.

For complete race results, click here.

by Mike Sardella, for Saratoga Raceway