Sports

By Tim Bojarski, Batavia Downs Media Relations

Despite stiff competition and some very inclement weather, Jokerman had the last laugh Saturday night (Oct. 24) by winning the $9,500 Open pacing feature at Batavia Downs.

Western Alumni (Ron Beback Jr.) left hard and made it known he was going to cut the mile. And in kind, everyone then followed in post-position order. Past the quarter, Button Fly (Shawn McDonough) came first up and brought Cobble Beach (John Cummings Jr.) in tow. This left Jokerman (Jim McNeight) tucked in nicely, second at the pylons.

Positions remained basically the same through three-quarters and around the last turn. But as soon as they hit the stretch and the passing lane opened up, McNeight directed Jokerman into that gap and muscled his way to the lead and the win in 1:55. Western Alumni hung on for second with Cobble Beach rallying three-wide for show.

It was the ninth win of 2015 for Jokerman who has now earned $66,051 for the year. The 5-year-old American Ideal gelding is trained by Richard Roth, who co-owns with Robert Roth and Randy Roth.

The $8,400 Open II pace co-feature was one of the more entertaining races of the night. Lucky Nadotremblay (Kevin Cummings) and FB Seelster (Dave McNeight III) fought side-by-side, tooth, fang and claw for the front for almost three-quarters of the mile before Arrived Late (Shawn McDonough) tipped four-wide around them at that station to take the lead and open up by three. But he wasn’t safe as If It Rains (John Cummings Jr.) who was right behind him, tracked him down in the stretch to win by a length. Sent off at 16-1, If It Rains, made it rain, returning $35.80.

Jim McNeight scored a driving hat-trick while Kevin Cummings, Ron Beback Jr. and Jack Flanigen all registered doubles. Trainers Gerry Sarama, Alex Giuliani and Maria Rice each sent two winners to post as well.

Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Wednesday night (Oct. 28) with the first post set for 6:15.

(Photo of Memumsnotnice with driver Ray Fisher Jr., courtesy of Paul White.)

Photo courtesy of Paul White

By Tim Bojarski, Batavia Downs Media Relations

It’s not too often a horse jumps up in class and dictates the proceedings but that’s just what happened to Memumsnotnice in the $8,500 Open mares pace at Batavia Downs on Wednesday night (Oct. 21).

Leaving from post one for the third consecutive week, Memumsnotnice (Ray Fisher Jr.) took quick control of the front and led her minions by a loose two-lengths for the entire mile. After fractions of :29.1, :57.2 and 1:26.1, Fisher raised the lines, cracked the whip and enticed Memumsnotnice to open up a three-length lead and draw away at the wire in 1:55.1.  

It was the third victory of 2015 for Memumsnotnice and the winner’s share boosted her seasonal earnings to $32,818 for owners Thatsideofthefence, LLC, and John Mungillo, who also trains the winner.

Driving and training multiplicity ran rampant at Batavia Downs on Wednesday as Ray Fisher Jr. scored a driving hat trick on the card while Kevin Cummings and Jack Flanigen both copped doubles. Trainers John Mungillo and JD Perrin also both had two winners apiece.

Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Friday (Oct. 23) with post time set for 6:15 p.m.

By Tim Bojarski, Batavia Downs Media Relations:

Starting on Wednesday (Oct. 21), Batavia Downs will move to a new, earlier post time of 6:15 p.m. for the remainder of the season. The only race date that will not start at that time is the final 1:15 matinee which will be held on Breeders Cup Saturday (Oct. 31).

Horsemen are advised to check the paddock and Lasix schedule for the new 6:15 starting time which is available on the Batavia Downs' Web site. They should also take note that all qualifying races for the rest of the meet will be held on Wednesdays at 4:45 p.m.

Racing fans coming to the track should take note that the gates will be open at 4:45 p.m. and the very popular Early Bird Daily Double (the bet that gives you $10 in gaming free-play when you wager $10 on the daily double) will be available in the Paddock Room only from 5-6 p.m.

With 45 days of racing completed, many great promotions have already been presented. But with 24 days of racing left, there is still much more fun yet to come.

Breeder’s Cup day (Oct. 31) will be one of the track’s biggest promotions of the entire year. Live harness racing starts at 1:15 and the races will be intermingled with each Breeder’s Cup event. The track will also offer a Breeder’s Cup Party package for only $20. Fans will receive a lunch buffet, a Breeders’ Cup program, a Batavia Downs program, an American Pharaoh T-shirt and $10 in gaming free-play. This is a $47 value.  

Also on Oct. 31, the track will present the “Diamond of a Day” give-away sponsored by TAG Jewelers (www.tagjewelers.com). Five customers will be chosen at random to pick one of five jewelry boxes. Four boxes will contain gold earrings worth $200 a pair and one box will contain a set of diamond earrings valued at $4,000.

Wednesday (Nov. 25) is the “second chance” Drew Monti bobblehead give-away. A limited amount of these remaining, very desirable collectibles will be distributed on a first come-first served basis to customers who swipe their card at Player’s Club and get a ticket. They will be distributed after the seventh race in the Paddock Room. Racing fans will also have the choice of selecting a Batavia Downs wine rack in the event the bobbleheads are gone. The Drew Monti bobbleheads are also sponsored by TAG Jewelers (www.tagjewelers.com).

During the first two weekends of December, Batavia Downs will host the free $1,000 Pick-6 contest, sponsored by the Western New York Harness Horsemen’s Association. Fans can swipe their card at Player’s Club and get an official entry form.

Saturday (Dec. 5) is the first $500 leg. If no one selects all six winners, then Friday (Dec. 11) it goes to $1,000. If no one selects all six winners that night, then Saturday (Dec. 12) is a “must-pay” to the player(s) with the most winners selected out of six.

And finally, Friday (Dec. 11) is customer appreciation day. Everyone in attendance will receive free sandwiches from Subway of Batavia, free cake from BJ’s Wholesale of Batavia, free coffee and $1 programs.

The final live racing card of the season is on Saturday (Dec. 12).

(Photo of Button Fly with driver Shawn McDonough, courtesy of Paul White.)

By Tim Bojarski, Batavia Downs Media Relations

Since coming to Batavia Downs three starts ago, Button Fly had yet to taste victory after three narrow decisions. But class relief and post one worked wonders for him this week as he captured the $8,400 Open II pacing feature at Batavia Downs on Saturday night (Oct. 17).

After yielding the lead to Gold Star Spike (Drew Monti) at the eighth pole, Button Fly (Shawn McDonough) pulled and retook the lead by the quarter and never looked back. After putting the field to sleep in a stodgy :58 half, Button Fly paired :28.1 and :28.2 final panels en route to an easy two-length win in 1:54.3.

Sent off as the prohibitive 1-5 favorite, Button Fly ($2.40) captured his fifth win of the year and boosted his 2015 earnings to $40,285 for owners David Ball and Jerry Reinhart. Winning driver, Shawn McDonough, also conditions the 5-year-old Lis Mara gelding.

Shawn McDonough had a very productive night, winning four races as a driver as well as two as a trainer. His driving wins included Red Clay ($2.70), Kruella ($3.80), Button Fly ($2.40) and Enzo Seelster ($17.00); the last two he also trains. Kevin Cummings scored a driving double as did Dave McNeight III. Trainer Dave McNeight Jr. conditioned two that visited the winner's enclosure.

Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Wednesday (Oct. 21) at a new, earlier post time of 6:15 p.m. This will be the post time for all evening cards for the remainder of the 2015 meet.

(Photo of Wicked Elphaba with reinsman Ray Fisher Jr.)

By Tim Bojarski, Batavia Downs Media Relations

Wicked Elphaba started slow but finished strong to take the $10,000 Open mares pacing feature at Batavia Downs on Wednesday night (Oct. 14).

Wicked Elphaba (Ray Fisher Jr.) quickly found herself with a ten-length deficit when Aurora Borealis (Kirk Desmond), Seascape Hanover (John Cummings Jr.) and Country Delight (Jack Flanigen) all battled for the lead in a brisk :27.1 quarter. From there, Seascape Hanover took the front and cut the mile while leaving Country Delight hung out to dry.

As the group passed the half and moved towards five-eighths, Fisher pulled Wicked Elphaba and brushed strongly up the backside. At the three-quarter pole, Wicked Elphaba tipped three-deep around the fading Country Delight, drew even with the front-running Seascape Hanover, and then flew by to take the lead. The mare paced away down the lane to win by three lengths in 1:56.  

It was the fifth win of the year for Wicked Elphaba ($9.20) and the first in the top class for distaff pacers at this meet. The winners share pushed her 2015 earnings to $25,873 for owner Tanah Merah Farms. The 5-year-old Western Terror mare is trained by Ryan Swift.

Drew Monti had a grand slam on Wednesday night, taking pictures with Climate Hanover ($2.80), Missevil ($9.70), R T Lange ($32.20) and Diditagain Hanover ($26.00). Shawn McDonough and Dave McNeight III both had doubles on the card as well.

Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Friday (Oct. 16) at 6:35 p.m.

The Genesee Community College women's volleyball team took care of visiting Niagara County Community College on Tuesday night in three straight sets, winning 25-16, 25-22 and 25-14.

GCC jumped in front taking 12 of the first 15 points to open the match. The Thunderwolves battled back to within three at 16-13, but Genesee pulled away to take a 1-0 lead with Yu Shimizu serving to the final five points in the opening set.  

The Cougars trailed for the only time of the night at 15-14 in the second set before Kristi Knutson was on serve for six consecutive points to put GCC back in front for good.

8-4 was as close as the third and final set got as the Cougars won going away to earn their 24th victory of the season.

Shimizu ended the night with 11 assists and three aces, Knutson added eight aces, four assists and two kills, Amanda Modesto tallied four kills, Hayley White had six digs and one ace, Cheyla Downing finished with four kills and Nina DiFante totaled four blocks and three kills.

Genesee (24-7-2) will return to action on Thursday night on the road at Finger Lakes CC. Match time is set for 6 p.m.

(Pictured from left: Mary Bucceri, Sara Tenney and Rock Vinci. Photo courtesy of Paul White.)

By Tim Bojarski, Batavia Downs Media Relations

Although it was Columbus Day at Batavia Downs, it was Groundhog Day for Rock Vinci. That is because Vinci won the special Italian-American drivers race (known as the Christopher Columbus Pace) for the second year in a row, in the identical time as last year and with another bombs-away payoff.

Vinci left with his horse, the 12-1 Bruener, before giving way to 102-1 Put It In Gear (Denny Bucceri). Past three-eighths, the prohibitive 1-9 favorite, Feets Of Magic (Drew Monti), pulled to try and take the lead from Put It In Gear. But while those two jousted until the top of the stretch, Vinci snuck Bruener up the pylons and won going away in 1:58.2. The winner paid $26.20.

Last year, Vinci won the "race for the cannolis" with Windsong Destroyer off a similar two-hole trip, also in 1:58.2 and returned a healthy $16.80.

Aside from the gratitude of owner Joe Kilburg, trainer JD Perrin and his driving percentage of the purse, Vinci was also presented with a half dozen gourmet cannolis in the winners's circle and gets to retain his bragging rights for another year.

(Photo courtesy of Paul White.)

By Tim Bojarski, Batavia Downs Media Relations

Sent off at 12-1, the lightly regarded Phil Your Boots made believers out of those doubters as he overcame a huge deficit at the half to win the $9,500 Open pacing feature at Batavia Downs on Saturday night (Oct. 10).

Off the wings, Cobble Beach (John Cummings Jr.) and Fireyourguns (Mike Caprio) both left in search of forward positioning. Jokerman (Jim McNeight), who had the pole, let Cobble Beach go while seating Fireyourguns. After all grabbed a spot, the single-file pack tripped the quarter in :28.4 and the half in :56.1. At this point, eventual winner Phil Your Boots (Drew Monti) was sitting last, 10-lengths off the lead behind a drifting and gapped Bakken (Ray Fisher Jr.).

Monti got his charge around the lagging horse and quickly caught the field. When Button Fly (Shawn McDonough) started an outer-flow, Phil Your Boots followed second-over as they reached the three-quarters in 1:26.1. At the top of the stretch, Cobble Beach packed it in but Fireyourguns still looked strong. Undaunted, Phil Your Boots tipped three-deep and put on a ferocious charge to just nose-out Fireyourguns in 1:54.2.

It was the tenth win of the year for Phil Your Boots ($26.00) including six out of his last eight. And the winner’s share of the purse inflated his 2015 earnings to $43,750 for owner Lou Frascella. Carl Smith trains the winner.   

Drew Monti scored a driving triple Saturday, winning with Phil Your Boots ($26.00), Rockstar Temper ($3.40) and The Battle Begins ($3.60) while Kevin Cummings, Shawn McDonough and Jim McNeight all registered driving doubles.

Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Monday (Oct. 12) with a special Columbus Day matinee card that gets under way at 1:15.