by Mike Sardella, for Saratoga Raceway
Saratoga, NY — Bye Bye Michelle (Stonebridge Regal) scored in the Thursday (March 9) $10,000 feature for filly and mare pacers at Saratoga Casino Hotel.
Melissa Simser-Iovino photo
Bye Bye Michelle wins the feature at Saratoga on Thursday after a claim and was claimed yet again for her efforts.
The 7-year-old pacing mare has frequently been claimed in the last year and on Thursday made her return to the races for the stable of Melissa Beckwith following a win last week.
Dan Cappello Jr. piloted Bye Bye Michelle, who got away third behind the race’s co-even money favorites Velocity Vespa (Jim Devaux) and last week’s Open winner Milky Way Rae (Billy Dobson). She then powered past them heading to the three-quarter pole.
Bye Bye Michelle, a 9-time winner in 2016, stopped the timer in 1:56.4 for her second victory in ’17. Velocity Vespa finished second while Milky Way Rae rounded out the triple
Bye Bye Michelle was again claimed on Thursday and returns to the stable of Andy Sardella, who had her prior to last week’s claim.
Live racing continues on Friday evening (March 9) at Saratoga with a first post time set for 6:45 p.m.