Ahvee's Destiny Scores for Linda Rice

Linda Rice won her first race of the Saratoga Race Course meet Monday when Ahvee’s Destiny stalked pacesetter Out Post, then took the lead in midstretch for a three-quarter-length victory in the $75,000 Smart and Fancy overnight stakes for fillies and mares running 5 ½ furlongs on the turf.

Rice, who shared the Belmont Spring training title with Todd Pletcher, came into Monday’s card 0-for-10 at the Spa.

“We had a great Belmont meet. We had a strong meet down there,” Rice said. “We started a little bit slow. I knew we would get off to a slow start. We needed to give my horses a break after Belmont . Things are starting to come together now.”

“I am excited and relieved to get the first one underneath me,” she added. “I thought she was in a great spot. That’s exactly where she likes to run from – stalking from the outside. She has also won a lot of races on this course.”

Ahvee’s Destiny, a 7-year-old New York-bred, has won  five of  10 races over the Saratoga turf course. Her other Saratoga victories include the 2008 Mechanicville Stakes, in which Rice saddled the top four finishers, and the 2009 Finney Stakes.