Sports

It was lights, camera, action for Famous Dan on Friday (November 1) night after he muscled his way to the top and then cruised home a winner in the $9,500 featured trot at Batavia Downs.

Kevin Cummings and Famous Dan fought with Arrakis (Joe Chindano Jr.) and Topolino (Dave McNeight III) to the quarter in :28.2 before crossing-over to the lead he would maintain for the remainder of the race. Once in control, Famous Dan trotted to the half in :59.4 and three-quarters in 1:29.3 where he started to pull away from the field. Unchallenged from there, Famous Dan swung around the final bend, entered the top of the lane and found his way home the best by five in 1:58.4.

Famous Dan ($3.00) is owned by Mike Torcello and trained by Sam Smith.

There was a major upset in the last race on the card when Bolt Of Beauty (1:58, Kyle Cummings) made a three-quarters, three-wide move to victory at 40-1 and paid $82.50 to win. It also triggered a single unique Jackpot Super Hi-5 combination of 8-9-5-3-1 that returned $2,910.30 for a 20-cent wager.

Dave McNeight III topped all drivers on Friday with three wins while trainers Betty Clegg and John Leggio each won two.

Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Saturday (November 2) 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.

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After getting some class and post relief from her last two starts, Won Surreal Deal impressively toured the facility at Batavia Downs on Wednesday (October 30) evening en route to her sixth win of the year in the $12,000 upper-level conditioned pace for fillies and mares.

Kyle Cummings and Won Surreal Deal grabbed the initial lead from their pylon-position start before Louie The Lilac (Kevin Cummings) overtook them at the eighth pole. But Won Surreal Deal didn’t want the trip and re-took control before the :28.1 quarter. From there, Won Surreal Deal got to the half in a measured :57.1 half where Hes Express (Drew Monti) pulled first-over to challenge as they made their way onto the second circuit.

Hes Express drew alongside Louie The Lilac, but second was as far as he got as Won Surreal Deal continued to chug along on the engine and started to separate at three-quarters as Louie The Lilac tried to keep pace, which she did. But she could not make up any ground on Won Surreal Deal as the cruising leader won in-hand by 1-¾ lengths in 1:54 flat.

Won Surreal Deal ($3.50) is owned by Parsimonious Racing Stable and trained by Jeff Sorenson.

Later in the $9,500 conditioned event for fillies and mares, Oaxaca Dream N (Dave McNeight III) took the lead at the quarter from Shooting Brooke (Joe Chindano Jr.), who then sat the trip behind the leader through quarters of :28.4, :58.2 and 1:27.1. At the top of the stretch, Shooting Brooke pulled the pocket and blasted down the lane, gaining on Oaxacan Dream N with every stride. The race went down to the wire where Oaxacan Dream N hung on by a neck and won in 1:55.4.

It was the ninth win of the year for the heavily-backed Oaxacan Dream N ($2.90) who is owned by Vogel and Wags Nags and trained by Maria Rice.

In the fourth race, 10-year-old Prairie Panther (Drew Monti) finished first in 1:56 and chalked up his 75th career victory for owners Joel Warner and Mike Deters, who also trains the habitual winner.

Brett Beckwith was visiting from The Spa and left as the leading driver on Wednesday after he won three races during the night. Two of those winners were conditioned by Chris Petrelli, who tied Maria Rice for top trainer honors with a double.

Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Friday (November 1) with post time at 6 p.m. and there will be a carryover of $1,621 in the Jackpot Super Hi-5 pentafecta in the 13th race.

Saturday (October 26) at Batavia Downs means double-feature night and two Open Handicaps valued at $13,000 each went to post with full fields.

The Open pace was first and Lanjo Lee (Kyle Cummings) drafted to his 25th career victory.

Lanjo Lee was sent to the front and got there by the quarter before letting Vel Mr Nice Guy (Joe Chindano Jr.) come right back and be leader of the pack from there. After passing the half in :56.2, Lip Reader A (Drew Monti) came first up and pressured Vel Mr Nice Guy from there to the top of the stretch, while Lanjo Lee was getting the perfect pocket trip. When they straightened for home, Cummings shot Lanjo Lee into the passing lane and blasted to the lead by a half length at the line in 1:54.1.

It was the second straight win and sixth win of the year for Lanjo Lee ($4.30) who is owned by Gordon Swift and trained by Jeff Sorenson.

Cummings ended the night with a grand slam after also winning with Catch A Lefty A (1:57.1, $6.10), Dougadougadew (1:58.3, $13.80) and Beach Boogie (1:56.2, $3.40).

Then later in the Open trot, Valentine Express (Joe Chindano Jr.) put in a big effort to claim his second consecutive win.

Valentine Express, Credarena (Dave McNeight III) and Biscoe (Jim McNeight Jr.) sprinted three across the track off the gate and to the :28 quarter where Biscoe took command with Credarena and Valentine Express settling in behind. But Chindano had Valentine Express out and moving again at three-eighths and drew near the leader by the half. As they made their way around turn three, Valentine Express and Biscoe continued to spar all the way up the backstretch before Valentine Express was able to take the lead at three-quarters. Once in front, Valentine Express opened up two lengths at the top of the stretch and made his way down the lane with a four length advantage and won in 1:55.4, which was a new seasonal mark.

It was the sixth win of the year for Valentine Express ($6.40) who is owned by Rock 01 Stable and trained by Jerry Nugent Jr.

In the night’s third race. 13-year-old YS Lotus (1:55.4, $5.60) scored a 3-½ length victory to register his 60th career win. Kevin Cummings drove for trainer Sam Smith and owner Mike Torcello.

Several horse people scored doubles on Saturday including drivers Joe Chindano Jr., John Cummings Jr., Kevin Cummings and Drew Monti and trainers Tammy Cummings and Mike Deters.

Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Wednesday (October 30) with post time at 6 p.m. and there will be a carryover of $1,244 in the Jackpot Super Hi-5 pentafecta in the 13th 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.

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.