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Tom Law 
The Casse Racing operation is in the midst of another strong year in 2018 – a 12th consecutive season with $5 million in purse earnings already and most likely a fifth straight year with more than $10 million – and Mark Casse believes things can continue to improve.
Larry Rivelli clung to the rail in the winner’s circle, waiting for his homebred Dugout to join him after breaking his maiden in the fourth race Monday at Saratoga Race Course. The 5 1/2-furlong race was carded for the Mellon Turf Course, but moved to the sealed dirt track after on-and-off downpours throughout the morning.
The sun shined bright over Saratoga Race Course late Monday afternoon, until the horses entered the paddock. Rain sprinkled down on the track on and off all day, the clouds conveniently opening up as post times neared.
The second week of the 2018 Saratoga Race Course meeting starts Wednesday with a 10-race card that features the Grade 2 Honorable Miss Handicap and $70,000 Jonathan Kiser Novice Hurdle.
The 2018 Saratoga Race Course meeting is off to a quick start and the Opening Weekend of the 40-day stand comes to a close Monday afternoon with a nine-race card topped by a competitive edition of the $200,000 Caress for older filly and mare turf sprinters.
Hall of Fame Rachel Alexandra visited Saratoga Race Course for the first time in 2009, holding off Macho Again to win by a head in the Grade 1 Woodward. Wooderson, her younger half-brother, took his first step towards her legacy Sunday wtih a maiden-breaking victory in the fifth race going 1 1/8 miles on the main track.
The connections of Monomoy Girl gathered in the Saratoga Room after the filly’s victory in Sunday’s Coaching Club American Oaks. The group included Michael Dubb, Stuart Grant, Brad Weisbord, Liz Crow and plenty of others who contributed to the filly’s success, all savoring the moment and the bubbling champagne. In the center of the group stood trainer Brad Cox.
When driver Joe Bongiorno hopped out of the sulky and walked into the winner’s circle of the Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial Pace behind Evenin Of Pleasure Saturday night at Saratoga Raceway, it was a homecoming of sorts. The 24-year-old reinsman is a native of Colts Neck, N.J., near Freehold Raceway, but it was in Saratoga that Bongiorno’s driving career took off.
The commotion of a bustling crowd at Saratoga Race Course didn’t faze Monomoy Girl. She strolled down the horsepath to the paddock late Saturday morning as if she knew everyone was looking at her.
Six days.
That’s how long it took Leigh Delacour to get back on a horse after giving birth to her third child March 16.
