Sports

Great Unknown has lived up to his name recently concerning winner’s circle visits, as he hasn’t been to one since May 8 at Harrington Raceway. But his 12 start drought ended on Friday (October 25) night at Batavia Downs when he was a willing participant and jogged home first in the $9,500 trotting feature.

John Cummings Jr. left with Great Unknown and then strung out Crazy Ritz (Jim McNeight Jr.) before releasing him to the front at the quarter in :28.1. Now with the pocket trip, Great Unknown followed Crazy Ritz to the half in :58.3 and three-quarters in 1:28.1. At that point, Paya Tuesday (Joe Chindano Jr.) was trotting alongside Great Unknown third heading into the last turn, and Famous Dan (Kyle Cummings) had joined the group three-deep around him, leaving Great Unknown locked in the box halfway through the bend. But Paya Tuesday began to fade, leaving room for Great Unknown to get out between Crazy Ritz and Famous Dan. At the top of the stretch, Great Unknown was trotting up a storm with his tail flagging with every stride. He bolted to the lead by two lengths and won impressively in 1:57.4.

Great Unknown ($5.00) is owned by Marissa Russo and trained by Dave Russo, who had two winners on the card.

Joe Chindano Jr. scored a grand slam at the lines on Friday, winning with Machaholic (1:55, $6.20), SS Tys Aflyin (1:59, $17.80), Lootable (1:54, $3.10) and Chumlee A (1:56.4, $21.60).

Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Saturday (October 26) with post time at 6 p.m. and there will be a $1,659 carryover in the Pick-5 in the first race and a $963 carryover in the Jackpot Super Hi-5 pentafecta in the 14th race.

Free full card past performance programs for every live card of racing at Batavia can always be downloaded at the Downs’ website (bataviadownsgaming.com) under the “Live Racing” tab and all the racing action can be viewed as it happens for free at the Batavia Downs Live Facebook page.

Pembroke beat Alexander in volleyball on Tuesday in four sets.

Scores: 25-15, 18-25, 25-14, 29-27.

Juliana Cleveland has 26 assists, four aces, two kills and a block. Reagan Schneider had 15 kills and six digs. Angel Neureuter had 13 digs, seven kills and five aces. 

For Alexander, Emily Pietrzkowski had 16 digs, four kills and three aces. Ava Yax had 14 digs and three aces. 

Batavia Downs leading driver, Drew Monti, showed why he is on top after winning five more races on Wednesday (October 23) night. That included the featured $12,000 Open Handicap pace for fillies and mares with Dance Ticket, who waltzed her way back to The Downs after two unsuccessful starts at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

During a torrential downpour, Monti put Dance Ticket on the point and she became the commander of fractions for the entire mile. After pacing through panels of :28, :57.1 and 1:25.2 with a gapped advantage and no credible challenges from behind, Dance Ticket rounded the final bend, entered the stretch with a 2-½ length lead and easily made her way to the line where she won in 1:54.3, only one-fifth of a second off her lifetime mark.

It was the seventh win of the year for Dance Ticket ($11.40) who is owned by Mike Flynn and trained by Garry Merner Jr.

Monti rounded out his five-bagger with wins behind VJ Panderosa (1:57.4, $29.00), Silverhill Blaze (1:57.2, $2.10), Our Night Fury (2:01.3, $6.40) and Shake Me Loose (1:56, $3.10).

After Wednesday night's action, Monti now has 75 wins at the current Batavia meet and sits ahead of his nearest competitors Joe Chindano Jr. (69), Kevin Cummings (64) and Dave McNeight III (60).

Another Merner trainee, Shesasharpshooter (Jim McNeight Jr.), won the first of two $9,500 mid-level condition races by going gate to wire in 1:54. Shesasharpshooter ($6.90) is owned by Gino Toscani.

The other division was also won in gate to wire fashion by Celia Bayama (Joe Chindano Jr.) who pulled away by three and tripped the beam in 1:56.2. Celia Bayama ($3.20) is owned by Jean Reid and trained by Chris Petrelli.

Chindano ended the night with three wins while Petrelli bagged two of his own.

Trainer Andy Torre also had two wins on Wednesday.

Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Friday (October 25) with post time at 6 p.m. and there will be a $656 carryover in the Jackpot Super Hi-5 pentafecta in the 12th race.

Free full card past performance programs for every live card of racing at Batavia can always be downloaded at the Downs’ website (bataviadownsgaming.com) under the “Live Racing” tab and all the racing action can be viewed as it happens for free at the Batavia Downs Live Facebook page.

Two Opens totaling $26,000 were on tap at Batavia Downs on Saturday (October 19) night and a show of force was displayed by both winners.

The $13,000 Open pace went first and was scratched down to a five-horse field that Livonjaxsandqueens (Jim McNeight Jr.) beat from start to finish.

McNeight pushed Livonjaxsandqueens to the fore and settled on the lead passing the :28 quarter. With Comet Crusader N (Shawn McDonough) following from second, Livonjaxsandqueens got to the half in :57.3 and three-quarters in 1:26.2 where the top two lost touch with the rest of the field. Livonjaxsandqueens spun through the final bend and at the top of the stretch, Comet Crusader N pulled and tried to catch the leader. But he came up a half length short as Livonjaxsandqueens crossed first in 1:54.3.

It was the sixth win of the year for Livonjaxsandqueens ($5.70) who is owned by Howard Ouriel and trained by Jim Rothfuss.

Then in the $13,000 Open Handicap trot, El Toro Loco (Kevin Cummings) poured it as he thumped the competition.

City Of Hope (John Cummings Jr.) grabbed the lead at the quarter but almost immediately, El Toro Loco took it from him and for all intents and purposes, the race was over at that point. El Toro Loco had an easy 1-½ length advantage to the half in :57.1 and three-quarters in 1:26.3. Then coming out of the last turn, El Toro Loco bolted from the field and stretched out to a 5-½ length margin at the beam that he broke in 1:56.2.

El Toro Loco ($7.90) is owned by Mike Torcello and trained by Sam Smith.

Kevin Cummings ended the night with a total of three wins while Sam Smith concluded the card with two. Darrin Monti also had two wins and joined Smith as the top trainers for the night.

The Jackpot Super Hi-5 pentafecta was hit the last race. The single unique combination of 1-6-9-5-2 returned $7,090.10 for a 20-cent wager.

Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Wednesday (October 23) with post time at 6 p.m.

Free full card past performance programs for every live card of racing at Batavia can always be downloaded at the Downs’ website (bataviadownsgaming.com) under the “Live Racing” tab and all the racing action can be viewed as it happens for free at the Batavia Downs Live Facebook page.

Making his second start at Batavia Downs since competing in the Ontario Sire Stakes at Woodbine Mohawk Park over the summer, the 3-year-old Slayin Theday Away took on older foes and found the local winner’s circle for the first time after he won the featured $9,500 trot on Friday (October 18) night.

Slayin Theday Away (Drew Monti) grabbed the lead at the quarter and led the group of seven to the half in 1:01. It was there that Run Like Hill (Joe Chindano Jr.) pulled from fifth and made his way to the lead passing the five-eighths pole. Run Like Hill had the lead, but could not cross over as Slayin Theday Away continued to fight up the backstretch.

Run Like Hill tripped the timer in 1:29.1 at three-quarters with Slayin Theday Away still second on the pegs and a half length behind. As they spun through the last turn, Slayin Theday Away got back even with Run Like Hill and at the top of the stretch, completed a stellar comeback by taking the lead and keeping it by 1-¼ lengths at the light in 1:59.1.

It was the eighth win of the year for Slayin Theday Away ($2.70) who is owned by Vogel and Wags Nags, Team Rice Racing and Dr. Michael Miller. Maria Rice trains the winner.

Monti, Rice and Vogel and Wags Nags also teamed up to win with Jacked (1:57.3, $2.90) earlier in the card.

The top drivers on Friday were Jim McNeight Jr. and Joe Chindano Jr. who both registered three wins during the proceedings. Jim McNeight got two training wins to match Rice as top conditioner.

Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Saturday (October 19) with post time at 6 p.m. and there will be a $4,853 carryover in the Jackpot Super Hi-5 pentafecta in the 12th race.

Free full card past performance programs for every live card of racing at Batavia can always be downloaded at the Downs’ website (bataviadownsgaming.com) under the “Live Racing” tab and all the racing action can be viewed as it happens for free at the Batavia Downs Live Facebook page.