Saratoga Springs, NY — Happy Heart has been as solid as any pacing mare at Saratoga Casino Hotel in 2019, and on Thursday (Nov. 14), the Melissa Beckwith trainee sprung the upset in the afternoon’s featured Fillies and Mares Open.

Happy Heart surged to a 16-1 upset in Thursday’s Fillies and Mares Open at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Melissa Simser-Iovino photo.

Happy Heart was dismissed at odds of 16-1 despite drawing the rail in what wound up being a five-horse field following a scratch. Last week’s winner, The Charging Moa N (Jay Randall), was back in town to try to defend her title from last Thursday’s eye-popping effort in the ladies Open, and was sent off the 1-9 favorite. The Charging Moa N wound up first-over this week and took over the lead past three-quarters in 1:25. Happy Heart got shuffled back a bit before moving off the rail and fanning three-wide around the final turn. The 6-year-old Wooodstock mare surged in the stretch, and her closing effort was enough to track down The Charging Moa N to prevail in 1:54.

Larry Stalbaum drove Happy Heart to her third win in the local Open in 2019. Paying $35.20 in the upset, Happy Heart completed a training triple for Beckwith on the afternoon, as her Best Honey Hanover and Mach Of Shame won conditioned races earlier on in the matinee. Happy Heart is owned by Tom McTygue and the Masie Stable, both of Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Live racing resumes on Saturday evening (Nov. 16) with first post set for 6:45 p.m. There will be a Pick-5 carryover of $1,361.