Sports

Batavia Downs featured two Open paces for fillies and mares on Wednesday night (Oct. 5) and both top distaff classes were won by New Zealand-bred mares who showed their mettle in victory. 

The $15,000 Open I Handicap went to Pocono Downs shipper The Stunning Nun N who made her Batavia debut memorable. 

The Stunning Nun N (Jim Morrill Jr.) got away third as Ready Set Rock (Kevin Cummings) claimed the front, but Morrill couldn’t wait and came early to take the top at the quarter. From there he settled his mare in and dictated the rest of the mile. Saulsbrook Olympia (Dave McNeight III) was the first one to challenge as they headed onto the second circuit and drew alongside The Stunning Nun N approaching three-quarters and from there the race was on. The Stunning Nun N first pushed away and got a one-length advantage heading into the stretch. But Saulsbrook Olympia fought back heading to the wire and crept back up on the leader. She got to within one-half length but The Stunning Nun N refused to lose and hit the line first in 1:55.2. 

It was the fifth win of the year for The Stunning Nun N ($3.00) who is trained and owned by Mike Deters, in partnership with Joel Warner, John Manning and Barbara Jensen. 

Morrill ended up winning a total of four races on Wednesday as he also scored with Jeremes General (1:56. $6.20), Embrace The Rust (1:58.3, $5.40) and BJ Lorado (1:59.3, $2.40). 

In the co-featured $14,000 fillies and mares Open II Handicap, Misty Memory N (Dave McNeight III) got away fifth watching Ideally Sweet (Jim Morrill Jr.) lead the field to the half. It was there that McNeight came first over with Misty Memory N and started the slow grind in the breeze towards the leader. When they got to three-quarters, Ideally Sweet was still two lengths ahead of the parked-third Misty Memory N, but this game mare just kept digging. She made up the incremental ground around the last turn and never drew even with the leader until halfway down the stretch. But Misty Memory N eventually got the lead and held off the tripping My Standards (Kevin Cummings) who made a late dash, to win by one-half length in 1:55.3. 

Misty Memory N ($6.90) is owned by Mark Toth and Paul Lang and is trained by Jeniffer Giuliani. 

Besides Morrill, other participants with multiple wins on Wednesday include drivers John Macdonald with three and Drew Monti with two and trainers Angelo Nappo and Maria Rice also with two wins each. 

The Jackpot Super Hi-5 in the 12th race that had a carryover of $829 on Wednesday night was hit and the 2-4-3-5-1 combination returned $1,428.20 for the 20-cent wager. . 

Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Friday (Oct. 7) at 6 p.m. This is the final Friday night of racing for 2022. Free full past performance race programs for all live race days can be downloaded by visiting the track's website at bataviadownsgaming.com and clicking the "Live Racing" tab and then you watch all the races live on the Batavia Downs YouTube channel.

Photos by Wendy J. Lowery

Following his stellar outing of Friday (Sept. 30) at Batavia Downs, driver Jim Morrill Jr. bounced back with another unbelievable performance on Saturday (Oct. 1) as he won five more races including the top two paces.

The $15,000 Open I Handicap went to Morrill and Rebellious, who got away fourth as Just Plain Loco (Dave McNeight III) took the field to the half in :55.4. There, Morrill made a second-over move following Surfer Beach (Greg Merton) who got it in gear heading into turn three. Surfer Beach cleared at three-quarters and Rebellious then followed him again to the top of the stretch. Heading down the lane Rebellious tipped out and got rowdy. He paced right by Surfer Beach and got home on top by 2-¾ lengths in 1:53.2.

It was the third win in a row, tenth win of the year and 65th-lifetime victory for the half-million dollar earner Rebellious ($4.40) who is owned by his trainer Mike Deters in partnership with Joel Warner. 

Then in the $14,000 Open II Handicap Morrill took the garden spot with Mississippi Rabbit behind American Trademark (Keith Kash) to the half in a very tepid :59.2. The slow-going forced Stop Action (Shawn McDonough) to brush and crush to the lead up the backstretch and open up a three-length lead heading into the stretch. But Morrill rousted Mississippi Rabbit and high lined him all the way home to a one-length win in 1:55.2. 

It was also the third win in a row for Mississippi Rabbit ($4.70) who is owned by Rocco Stebbins and trained by Joe Skowyra.  

Morrill also won with Dewar N Jack (1:56.1, $9.30), Century Grizzly (1:54.2, $3.30) and  Major Asset (1:54.2, $4.00). Morrill drove in 11 races Saturday night and aside from the wins, never missed the board. He finished second four times and third twice giving him an unheard-of UDR of .717 for the night. 

At the start of this racing week, Morrill was 12 races behind Kevin Cummings for the dash lead at this meet. Now after only three days of racing he has closed that gap to three. Cummings currently sits with 78 wins and after Saturday’s action, Morrill now has 75. 

Morrill wasn’t the only one winning races. Drivers Drew Monti, Dave McNeight III and Greg Merton each had two wins on the card as did trainers Chris Naedele and Maria Rice. 

The $1,960 carryover and $5,000 guaranteed pool on the Pick-5 wager in race one brought $5,328 in new money and provided a winning payout of $595.50 for a 50-cent wager on the combination of 2-2-3-2-2,3. However, the Jackpot Super Hi-5 in the last race was not hit and that carryover has grown to $829 for that wager in the the12th race on Wednesday night. 

Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Wednesday (Oct. 5) at 6 p.m. Free full past performance race programs for all live race days can be downloaded by visiting the track's website at bataviadownsgaming.com and clicking the "Live Racing" tab and then you watch all the races live on the Batavia Downs YouTube channel.

Photo by Wendy J. Lowery.

Press release:

Enjoy a trail run in the Genesee County Park & Forest this weekend! Join us for the 10th annual Run for the ACORNS 5k/10k trail run and walk this Sunday, Oct 2 at the Genesee County Park & Forest!! Meet at Pavilion B on Raymond Road. In-person registration opens at 8 a.m. or register online at runsignup.com/Race/NY/EastBethany/RuntheAcorns. The price is $35/person and all proceeds benefit ACORNS, the nonprofit friends-of-the-park group. 10k begins at 9:00 am, and 5k run/walk begins at 9:15 a.m.

This 5k/10k trail run and walk is designed for people of all ages and activity levels.

5k and 10k courses are marked with signs and direction arrows. Your start and finish times will be recorded and posted to the results automatically. 10k runners must finish the first 5k of the race in 50 minutes or less or will be disqualified. The courses are on single and double-track trails through the forest, along a creek and up and down rolling hills in the Genesee County Park & Forest, with an estimated 100 feet of climb in the 10K loop. Trails are very wide and easy to negotiate (rocks and roots are clearly marked for safety). The courses start on asphalt and then lead into the woods for a truly beautiful run through the countryside.

Surround yourself with the beauty of the autumn forest on trails through the woods, along the headwaters of Black Creek and over rolling hills.

Awards will be given to the top male and female running finishers in each race and to the top male and female running finishers in each age group. You must be present to receive your medal. Enjoy post-race snacks and drinks as you congratulate your fellow participants.

Driver Jim Morrill Jr. continued his hot streak Friday night (Sept. 30) after he registered another grand slam in the bike at Batavia Downs and it was highlighted by winning the $15,000 Open Handicap trot with the 11-1 shot, Batting Stats. 

Assigned post one, Batting Stats was sent right to the front of the short six-horse field and held the lead at every station. After passing three-quarters in 1:27.2 while rebuffing a challenge from Night Flyer K (Greg Merton), Morrill and Batting Stats had two lengths at the top of the stretch and held off a late charge from Lougazi (Ray Fisher Jr.) to win by 1-¾ lengths in a season’s best 1:57 flat. 

Batting Stats ($25.80) is owned by Mike Ohol Jr. and trained by Mike Ohol. 

Morrill also scored with the 13-year-old Osprey Vision ($9.30) who got his 49th-lifetime win, Batavia’s 2021 Claimer of the Meet Raksmach N ($1:57.1, $3.80) and Tioga Downs invader Defcon Seelster ($1:58, $4.00). 

In the co-featured $14,000 Open II Handicap trot, Lightfooted Legend overcame early adversity to taste late success. Off the gate, Franks Watching (Ray Fisher Jr.) and Gemini Eddie (Kevin Cummings) both made breaks as Lightfooted Legend (Shawn McDonough) darted for the lead. But at the eighth pole, Lightfooted Legend also jumped, along with the three-wide Pilgrim Caviar (Dave McNeight III), allowing the only horse who didn’t break in the race, Lunar Credit (Jim McNeight Jr.), finally reach the front. McDonough regrouped Lightfooted Legend and put him on the leader’s back and the pair then trotted in line to three-quarters where Lightfooted Legend tipped out and went right after Lunar Credit. The trotters matched strides around the last turn and into the stretch Lightfooted Legend rallied late to win by 1-¼ lengths in 1:57.2.

The Dale Gilmour-trained Lightfooted Legend ($6.40) is owned by David Linker.

Lightfooted Legend was one of two driving wins for McDonough who also registered one training victory on Friday. Driver Ray Fisher Jr. and trainer Ryan Swift teamed up to get two winners across as well. 

When live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Saturday night (Sept. 31) there will be two carryovers and one guaranteed pool. The Pick-5 wager in races one through five has a carryover of $1,960 and the wager will have a guaranteed $5,000 pool through the United States Trotting Association’s Strategic Wagering program. Free race pages for those races will be available at ustrotting.com tomorrow morning. Then in the Jackpot Super Hi-5 in race 12, there is a $647 carryover as well. Post time for race one on Saturday is at 6 p.m. Free full past performance race programs for all live race days can be downloaded by visiting the track's website at bataviadownsgaming.com and clicking the "Live Racing" tab.

Photo by Wendy J. Lowery

It’s not too often a 3-year-old pacing filly can knock off a field of top-class older mares, but it happened on Wednesday night (Sept. 28) at Batavia Downs when Tres Chic Bluechip carried the mail all the way to the wire in the $15,000 Open I Handicap Distaff pacing feature. 

Last week’s winner Pretty Blue Angel (Keith Kash) battled So Admirable (Jim Morrill Jr.) for the lead and got it after a :28.1 quarter. With a two length lead, Pretty Blue Angel proceeded to the half and headed into the third turn where a lot then happened. Tres Chic Bluechip (Kevin Cummings) was approaching the leader from third while Farmerwhosemydaddy (Kyle Cummings) and post-time favorite Saulsbrook Olympia (Dave McNeight III) hooked wheels and effectively took themselves out of the race. 

Tres Chic Bluechip drew alongside Pretty Blue Angel on the backstretch and took a short lead in the breeze at three-quarters. The pair paced almost even around the far turn and took the issue into the homestretch. After a solid attempt by Pretty Blue Angel to come back, Tres Chic Bluechip was just too much and paced away by 3-¼ lengths to win in 1:56.2. 

It was the ninth win of the year for Tres Chic Bluechip ($9.90) and pushed her earnings to $57,185 this year for owner John Sixt. Judy Blaun trains the filly. 

There were also a pair of $11,000 upper-level condition races for female pacers on Wednesday. 

In the first, Faithful Desire (Jim Morrill Jr.) took the lead while Dontustopbelieven N (Kevin Cummings followed her through fractions of :29, :58.1 and 1:26.2. At the top of the stretch Dontustopbelieven N popped the pocket and made up some ground heading home. But it wasn’t enough as Faithful Desire hung on by one-half length in 1:55.2. 

Faithful Desire ($12.80) got her third win in her last four starts for the Crazy Parrot Farm and trainer Shawn McDonough. 

Then in the second, Ready Set Rock (Kevin Cummings) left the gate and was never headed from there. With Misty Memory N (Dave McNeight III) tracking from second, Ready Set Rock went :27.3, :57.1 and 1:25.3 before turning for home and keeping the field at bay in a 1:55 victory. 

A recent Maine import, Ready Set Rock ($11.60) got his seventh win of the year for current owner Mike Torcello. Sammy Smith is the trainer. 

Ready Set Rock was the fourth hit in Kevin Cummings grand slam on Wednesday after he had already scored with the aforementioned Tres Chic Bluechip, Parkhill Horton (1:58.3, $12.40) and Tucson Breeze (1:58.2, $3.30). 

Trainer Shawn McDonough led all trainers on the card with a hat trick of his own. 

Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Friday (Sept. 30) at 6 p.m., one of only two Fridays left on the live racing schedule this year. Free full past performance race programs for all live race days can be downloaded by visiting the track's website at bataviadownsgaming.com and clicking the "Live Racing" tab.

Photo by Wendy J. Lowery

Game report from Coach Graham Halpin:

Batavia Boys Varsity Soccer lost a close game to Greece Olympia, 2-0, at VanDetta stadium last night. There was no score in the game until well into the second half when Olympia scored on a lucky breakaway followed soon after with a PK. The Batavia players played hard all game in the rainy conditions and had some good opportunities but were unable to score. 

The Riddler and Vanna White would have been proud of the betting public after they figured out Puzzling should be the favorite in the $15,000 Open I Handicap on Saturday night (Sept. 24) at Batavia Downs and then collected their money after he dominated the locals with his season’s best effort. 

Jim Morrill Jr. picked up the drive on the shipper Puzzling who was making his first ever start at the Downs. He wrangled the lead away from Stop Action (Kevin Cummings) at the :27 quarter and then laid the lumber on his foes from there. Morrill had the grippers on Puzzling to the half in a slow :29.1 and then rebuffed a challenge from Ideal Artillery (Jim McNeight Jr.) through the third quarter in a stepped-up :27.4. As the pocket-sitting Stop Action started to lose touch around the last turn, Puzzling took a two length lead into the stretch and cruised home to a 2-¼ length victory over Stratosphere (Drew Monti) in 1:52.3. 

A 10-time winner in 2021, this was the second win and fastest time of this year for Puzzling ($6.70) who is owned by Rocco Stebbins. This was one of two wins on Saturday for trainer Joe Skowyra who also sent the Stebbins’ owned Mississippi Rabbit (1:54.1, $3.20) to the winner's circle. Morrill ended the night with three winners. 

The undercard $14,000 Open II Handicap saw Blue Spanx (Keith Kash) set the pace to the half where Stranger Things (Kevin Cummings) pulled first-over with a rush. It took Stranger Things a quarter to draw even with Blue Spanx but when he did, it was a real race to the wire. The two pacers matched strides all the way down the stretch in close quarters and under heavy urging. When they hit the light Blue Spanx had the win by three-quarters of a length in 1:55.3. However, shortly after the race ended, the judges posted an inquiry and eventually placed Blue Spanx second for interfering with Stranger Things in the stretch, and declared Stranger Things the winner. 

As a result, Stranger Things ($5.90) got his third win in his last four starts and eighth win of the year for owners Virginia Schoeffel, Kathy Schoeffel and James Reuther. Angelo Nappo was the winning conditioner. Cummings had the hat trick in the bike by the evenings end. 

Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Wednesday (Sept. 24) at 6 p.m. Free full past performance race programs for all live race days can be downloaded by visiting the track's website at bataviadownsgaming.com and clicking the "Live Racing" tab.

Photo by Wendy J. Lowery