Sports

Photo of Empire Earl N with driver Larry Stalbaum.

By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

After three near misses in the resident top trot, Empire Earl N got the job done in winning the $10,500 Open Handicap trotting feature at Batavia Downs on Friday night (Aug. 11).

Striker Ace (Drew Monti) and Osprey Vision (Dave McNeight III) butted heads for the lead for almost a quarter mile before Striker Ace finally took control, but the :27.3 first quarter would take a toll on both later in the race. Past the half Edom Up Blue Boy (Rock Vinci) pulled first-over with Empire Earl N (Larry Stalbaum) right behind.

Edom Up Blue Boy made a steady advance and took over the lead by the top of the lane. But his shadow Empire Earl N kept coming, eventually swung clear in the stretch and trotted away to a relatively easy win in 1:59.2.

Empire Earl N ($9.40) now has earnings of $45,905 on the strength of five wins this year for his owner Larry Stalbaum. Kim Asher does the training.

Batavia Downs defending dash driver Drew Monti had the hot-hand on Friday, winning half the races on the card. His quintuple conquests included Rollovin (1:55.4, $3.10), Tenor Duharas (1:59.1, $3.30), Winky’s Pride (1:59.2, $3.10), Lutetium (1:57.2, $8.40) and Skyway Tia (1:57.3, $6.90).

With those five wins Monti vaulted himself back into the dash driving lead once again this year, now with 18 tallies. That is one ahead of Ray Fisher Jr. (17) who also had a driving triple on Friday, and two ahead of Jim Morrill Jr. (16) who was at Tioga Downs driving in New York Sire Stakes action.

Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on tonight (Aug. 12) with post time set at 6 o'clock.

Photo of All Charged Up with driver John Macdonald.

By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

After just missing off a perfect two-hole trip last week in the top distaff pace, All Charged Up bounced back and got the job done in winning the $9,500 Fillies and Mares Open Handicap at Batavia Downs on Wednesday afternoon (Aug. 9).

All Charged Up (John Macdonald) hit the pylons early and let the unsuspecting Jolt Of Jo (Dave McNeight III) dictate the quarters. Taking on the challenge, Jolt Of Jo then went in :28 and :57.3 before the sleeping giant, All Charged Up pulled first over past the stands.

The race proceeded up the backside with All charged Up advancing on Jolt Of Jo and eventually taking command with only a quarter of a mile to go. She cleared the front in the final bend and paced away down the lane to open up a two-length advantage, coasting home to a wrapped-up win in 1:54.3, which was a new seasonal mark.

It was the first win in only her fifth start of the season for the late-starting All Charged Up ($3.10) and owner J P Stables. John Macdonald also trains the winner.

In the co-featured $8,500 Mares Open II, Susie’s Delight (Ray Fisher Jr.) made easy work of seven foes as she went gate to wire without much effort in 1:55.3, which was also a new seasonal mark for the winner. Susie’s Delight ($6.90) is owned by the Swift Racing Stable and is trained by Ryan Swift.

Ray Fisher Jr. found himself being photographed four times on Wednesday as he shooed home Mintiliscious (1:55.1, $3.60), Sin City Shark (1:55.3, $3.90), John’s Jesse Bird (1:58.2, $3.40) and the aforementioned Susie’s Delight. 

Jim Morrill Jr. and Larry Stalbaum both chimed in with driving doubles while trainer Maria Rice registered two winners as well.

Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Friday (Aug. 11) with post time set at 6 p.m. 

(Clear Idea and driver Jodi Jamieson.)

By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

The competition was keen among the two divisions of 3-year-old pacing fillies in the $117,600 New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) at Batavia Downs as Clear Idea and Angel’s Pride both beat post-time favorites to add to their points and earnings in the state-bred series on Sunday afternoon (Aug. 6).

In the faster of the two $58,800 divisions, Clear Idea (American Ideal-Glass Maker) turned a two-hole trip into her eighth win of the year and solidified her spot as the top NYSS 3-year-old pacing filly.

Heavily favored Tequila Monday (Matt Kakaley) was a tentative leaver from post five and it took her over three-eighths of a mile to grab the front from Clear Idea (Jodi Jamieson) and finally hit the pylons. After tripping the half in :55.2 Kakaley kept his filly rolling up the backside for the next quarter before Roaring To Go (Dan Rawlings) rolled alongside to push the issue. But into the lane Clear Idea found the passing lane and paced by the rest under steady urging from Jamieson to win by a length in 1:53.3.

It was the sixth win in a row for Clear Idea ($4.30) and fifth NYSS win for the filly that has now earned $181,733 this year for owners Hutt Racing Stable and Blake Macintosh, who also trains the winner.

(Angel's Pride with driver Matt Kakaley.)

In the other $58,800 split, Angel’s Pride (Roll With Joe-Angel Place) benefitted from an early break by 1-4 favorite Candlelight Dinner (Jim Morrill Jr.) to score her second NYSS victory this year and move up in the standings.

Queen Josephine (Jodi Jamieson) cut the mile from the start and backed off the half to a pedestrian :58.2 as a gapped leader. That lead would soon end as Angel’s Pride (Matt Kakaley) pulled from third past the five-eighths and circled to the front by the three-quarter pole and she just kept pacing away from there. Angel’s Pride opened up a five-length advantage with Kakaley sitting motionless to win in 1:54.2.

Angel’s Pride ($15.20) registered her fourth win of the year and second in the NYSS. The filly now has earned $81,356 this year for owners Triple D Stables Inc. and JFE Enterprises LLC. Angel’s Pride is trained by Scott Di Domenico.

There were also three divisions of the Excelsior A series, each going for $15,000.

The first division was won by Ameraway (American Ideal-Shyaway) in 1:54.2. Ameraway ($8.30) was driven by Matt Kakaley and trained by Erv Miller for owners the Erv Miller Stable Inc., Paymaq Racing, Tangie Massey and Neil Cumsky.

The second split went to Roll With Sparky (Roll With Joe-Circle Game) in 1:55.2. Roll With Sparky ($3.10) was driven by Jodi Jamieson and trained by Jim Graham who owns the horse with Lee Winters and Paul Tandlmayer.  

The final contest went to All About The Pace (Roll With Joe-Queen Of Blues) in 1:56. All About The Pace ($73.50) was driven by Drew Monti and trained by Scott Di Domenico for owners Triple D Stables Inc. and JFE Enterprises LLC.

By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

Two competitive fields of 3-year-old pacing fillies will be on hand at Batavia Downs to compete for $58,800 per division in the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) on Sunday afternoon (Aug. 6) and the track record of 1:52.4 may be challenged.

Clear Idea (American Ideal-Glass Maker) ships in to Batavia on the strength of a five-race winning streak and looks to be the one to beat in her division. She has won seven out of her last nine starts including four NYSS events. She took a lifetime mark of 1:50.4 in an overnight at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Friday (July 7) and has banked $152,333 for her efforts this year.

Trainer Blake Macintosh has assigned Jodi Jamieson to drive and he will leave from post one as the early favorite at 6-5.

Tequila Monday (American Ideal-Margarita) finished third in a hard-fought Fan Hanover stake at Mohawk back in June that went in 1:49.4 and then came right back in another Grand Circuit event, the Lynch at Mohegan Sun Pocono Downs. There she chased fast fractions from the outside and still finished only seven-lengths off. With two NYSS wins under her belt, she comes in with a total of five victories this year and $201,711 in earnings.

Former Western New York trainer Chris Oakes has called on Matt Kakaley to steer and they have drawn post five, listed at 2-1.

Roaring To Go (Art Major-Lionness Hanover) is coming off a season’s best effort of 1:52.4 in a gate to wire romp in a NYSS event at Yonkers Raceway on Friday (July 28). It was her first win of the year and certainly an eye-opener. She also raced in the Fan Hanover and Lynch, where she finished second in the consolation of the latter. The filly is versatile and seldom misses the board.

Dan Rawlings will drive for trainer Kevin Lare and is the 3-1 third choice leaving from post six.

In the other $58,800 split, Candlelight Dinner (American Ideal-Time N Again) comes into the event very sharp off a barn change to trainer Tracy Brainard. After a solid qualifier in June, the filly did not perform well in her first three starts. However last week at Yonkers, she tracked a moderate half and then flew home in :56, last quarter in :27.2 to finish third in 1:53.1 by less than a length in a NYSS event. With a good draw and a short field, this is a good spot to get across for the first time this year.

Brainard has tapped local favorite and perennial NYSS leading driver Jim Morrill Jr. to drive and they are listed as the 9-5 morning line favorites from post two.

Marquesa Seelster (Rock N Roll Heaven-Mistreos) has won three of her last six starts, but none of them came in NYSS races. It seems her best game is on the lead and having post one in a short field here may give her the opportunity to attempt that strategy.

Trainer Jennifer Davis has put the Downs defending dash winner Drew Monti up to drive and they are listed at 2-1 morning line.

The NYSS events are races three and four. There are also three $15,000 divisions of the Excelsior A series on Sunday carded as races six, seven and eight. Post time for the first race in 1:15 p.m.

(BZ Glide with driver Mike Caprio.)

By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

Heavy storms blew through Western New York and provided less than desirable conditions, but an off-track and six foes couldn’t keep BZ Glide from getting to the winner's circle in the $10,500 Open handicap trot at Batavia Downs on Friday night (Aug. 4).

Noble Legend (Ray Fisher Jr.) left with the gate and dropped in second behind Lutetium (Ron Beback Jr.) who was not about to give up the front. The race then proceeded from there in single-file order in :28.3 and :59.1. Pulling first-over at that point was Jim Dandy (Jim McNeight Jr.) who brought BZ Glide (Mike Caprio) in tow fourth.

The outer flow was dull and Jim Dandy had trouble getting to the leader up the backside, but he finally drew alongside around the final bend. At the top of the stretch Lutetium and Jim Dandy were joined by three –across by Noble Legend who ducked in the passing lane. But the final blow came when BZ Glide, who had drafted second-over, tipped four-deep around Jim Dandy and out-trotted everyone down the lane, pulling away to an easy length victory in 2:00.1.

BZ Glide ($4.00) registered his third win of the year and 33^rd win of his career. The 8-year-old gelded son of Yankee Glide is owned by the Caprio Stable LLC and is trained by Alana Caprio.

(Striker Ace with driver Ray Fisher Jr.)

In the $8,000 Open II trot, Striker Ace (Ray Fisher Jr.) pulled first-over from fourth at the three-eighths and advanced to the lead by the three-quarters before opening up a three-length lead and trotting home handily to win by four in 1:58.3. Striker Ace ($25.60), who is now two for two at Batavia Downs, is owned by Finish Line Investors and John Mungillo, who also trains the winner.

“Drivin” Drew Monti had a grand slam Friday winning with Doing Some Damage (1:57.1, $27.40), Tenor Duharas (2:01.1, $5.00), Button Fly (1:56.2, $33.20) and Rollovin (1:57.4, $6.40).

Kevin Cummings also had a driving triple and Larry Stalbaum registered a double. Conditioner Rose Russo sent two sent two trainees to the winner’s circle for photographs.

Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on tonight (Aug. 5) with a guaranteed pool of $6,000 for the early Pick-5 which goes in races one through five. The carry-over pool for that wager is $3,281. Post time for the first race is 6 p.m.

Kruella with driver Kevin Cummings. Photo courtesy of Paul White.

By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

Despite winning the distaff feature at Batavia Downs last week, Kruella was overlooked this week in lieu of two ship-in entries from Vernon Downs. But after a furious stretch drive late, Kruella sent the interlopers packing as she won the $9,500 fillies and mares Open pace at Batavia on Wednesday night (Aug. 2).

The heavily favored Vernon invader Little Santamonica (Shawn McDonough) out-left Vernon cohort All Charged Up (Larry Stalbaum) off the gate and went right for the lead, rushing the girls to a :27.3 quarter. With the field standing pat behind her, McDonough backed the half off to :57.1 and it looked like everything was going their way.

As the race went up the backstretch, All Charged Up pulled from second and was followed by Susie’s Delight (Ray Fisher Jr.) and Kruella (Kevin Cummings). The outer flow continued to advance around the turn and drew even with the front-runner at the top of the stretch. At that point Cummings tipped Kruella three-deep but was still three-lengths off the leader. With five horses spread across the track and all the drivers applying heavy urging, Kruella closed like a jet on the grandstand side and proved to be the best, winning by a length in 1:54.2.   

It was the third win in a row and of the year for Kruella ($14.60) who registered a new lifetime mark with the 1:54.2 clocking. The 5-year-old daughter of American Ideal and Villa Hanover is owned by Two Gals Stable LLC and is trained by Jineen Simone.

(Above, Jolt Of Jo with driver Dave McNeight III.)

In the $8,500 fillies and mares Open II, Jolt Of Jo (Dave McNeight III) got a perfect two-hole trip behind Voltina (John Cummings Jr.) before popping the pocket at the top of the lane and pacing away to a length victory in 1:54.4, which was a new lifetime mark for the winner.

Jolt Of Jo ($26.60) is owned by R. Lewis Hauber and trained by Jim Graham.

Larry Stalbaum had a driving triple as Shawn McDonough won the last two races on the card. Trainer Kim Asher also had three wins on the night.

With a silent auction, patron contributions and horsemen donating their win percentages from the night, the fundraiser for the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester was able to raise in excess of $9,500.

Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Friday (Aug. 4) with post time set at 6 p.m.