(Makes Her Mark and driver Kevin Cummings are out in front in this photo provided courtesy of Paul White.)
By Tim Bojarski, Batavia Downs Media Relations
After making quite a jump in class, Makes Her Mark ($15.00) took full advantage of an assigned inside post to trip-out in the $8,500 mares Open I-II Handicap on Wednesday night (Sept. 9) at Batavia Downs.
It was a pretty simple race most of the way: All About Boyz (Dave McNeight III) left and went right to the front while the rest of the field remained in post position order behind her. Makes Her Mark (Kevin Cummings) who had post one, sat in the garden spot as the group went through fractions of :28.1, :57.4 and 1:27.1.
When the field was approaching the third station, Call Me Maybe (Drew Monti) was moving on the outside with Ugly Betty (Mike Caprio) in tow. Then Caprio swung that one three-deep as the field entered the turn.
Call Me Maybe’s bid failed along with Ugly Betty’s and their demise opened the door for Makes Her Mark to come off the pylons and go after the leader. Cummings pulled the mare and went to the stick to get the advantage at the wire in 1:56.4. Badlands Love (Jim McNeight) snuck up the rail for second and Country Delight (Jack Flanigen) picked up the pieces for third.
It was the sixth win in 15 starts for Makes Her Mark and the victory pushed her yearly earnings to $20,732 for Jim Dunn, who owns and trains the 6-year-old Codyscoltfortyfive mare.
The Downs leading driver, Kevin Cummings, scored a driving triple on the card while Drew Monti and Dave McNeight III both tallied driving doubles.
Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Friday night (Sept. 11) with post time set for 6:35.
