Sports

The top local trotting talent was on full display at Batavia Downs on Friday night (Sept. 23) and the co-featured Opens both produced come from behind victories. 

In the $15,000 Open I Handicap, C R Blazin Beauty (Dave McNeight III) led off the gate and halfway up the backstretch before Night Flyer K (Jim Morrill Jr.) grabbed the front approaching the :28.2 quarter. From there no one made a move until the five-eighths where Jumpinthejailhouse (Kevin Cummings) pulled and tried to advance on Night Flyer K, but was only able to get as far as second as they headed around the last turn. When the race proceeded into the stretch, Jumpinthejailhouse faded allowing the pocket-sitting C R Blazin Beauty the out, and she came with a flurry. C R Blazin Beauty trotted up a storm in deep stretch and blew by Night Flyer K while holding off the late closing Credit List (Kyle Cummings) to win by 1-½ lengths in 1:57. 

The Marissa Russo-owned and Dave Russo-trained C R Blazin Beauty ($15.60) captured her 47th-lifetime win and advanced her career earnings to $398,022 as a result. Dave Russo ended the night with two winners to top all trainers on Friday. 

Earlier in the $14,000 Open II Handicap trot, Lougazi (Ray Fisher Jr.) overcame the assigned outside post to nab his sixth win of the year. Sanchez Rocks (Drew Monti) led the field for three-quarters of the mile while Lunar Credit (Jim McNeight Jr.) escorted him on the outside from the half. Lougazi was third-over during that time and drafted there until the last turn when he went three deep and out-trotted everyone to the line and won by 1-¼ lengths in 1:59.1. 

Lougazi ($3.60) pushed his bank to $76,810 this year for owner Mary Warriner on the strength of that victory. Ryan Swift trains the trotter. 

Kyle Cummings was the leading driver on Friday recording three wins during the proceedings.

When live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Saturday (Sept. 24) at 6 p.m. there will be two carryovers to note for that card. The first is a sizable $1,478 in the Pick-5 in the first race and the second comes in the Jackpot Super Hi-5 in race 11 and that is worth $190. 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

A girls soccer game between Pembroke and Kendall ended in a 1-1 tie on Friday.

Karli Houseknecht scored early in the fourth minute of play. Putting the dragons up 1-0 in the first half. Kendall netted one in the middle of the second quarter scored by Ava Quintern

The Dragons played a great defensive game. Senior goalkeeper Arianna Hale recovered 19 saves. Her defensive line consisting of Ameilia Berghorn, Emma Groff, Izzy Breeden and Molly Chittenden held strong against a fast Kendall offense.

Submitted by Coach April Meier

Batavia Boys Varsity Soccer lost 5-3 at HFL on Friday night.

Batavia was ahead 2-1 for most of the game but gave up late goals.

Owen Halpin (#2) had 2 goals (PK and an assist by Alex Bartz #15) and Andrew Childs (#22) had one goal (assisted by Dima Havens (#18)). Goalkeeper Jack Pickard (#16) had another outstanding performance with 13 saves. 

Submitted by Coach Graham Halpin

Pembroke beat Lyndonville on Saturday in girls soccer 40-2.

All four goals were scored by senior captain Karli Houseknecht. 

• Houseknecht assisted by Peyton Liss 25 min 
• Houseknecht unassisted 29 min 
• Houseknecht assisted by Haley Sweet 46 min 
• Houseknecht assisted by Peyton Liss 49 min

After winning four races on Friday night (Sept. 16) at Batavia Downs, the track’s leading driver, Kevin Cummings took it up a notch and won five more on Saturday (Sept. 17). Cummings took the early double with Luis Alberto N (1:56.3, $2.20) and Oreo Dream Xtreme (1:53.3, $4.30) and then reeled in Street Beats (1:56.3, $5.00), Stop Action (1:54.1, $2.90) and Brave World (1:55.4, $3.30).  Cummings also had four second place finishes giving him a .657 UDR for the evening. 

Two races that Cummings didn’t win were the feature races that for the second straight night were won by Jim Morrill Jr.

First Morrill scored with Surfer Beach in the $15,000 Open pace and did it in impressive fashion. Maintaining a gapped advantage from the time he left, Surfer Beach ticked off splits of :27.4, :56.3 and 1:24.1 before rounding the last turn on top by two lengths. He then sped home in another :27.4 sprint to the wire where he won in an impressive 1:52.

It was the fifth win of the year for Surfer Beach ($4.90) and owners Vogel & Wags Nags and Team Rice Racing. Maria Rice was the winning trainer. 

Then Morrill took the $14,000 Open II pace with Out On Bail, who settled on the lead by the :28 quarter after a give-and-go with Stranger Things (Kevin Cummings) who was content with the garden spot. Positions remained unchanged from there as Out On Bail hit the half in :57.2 and three-quarters in 1:25.1. At the top of the stretch Stranger Things tipped to attack, but by the time he got in the two path, Out On Bail had fled the scene. Morrill slung low in the seat and Out On Bail crossed the line up by two in 1:53.1.

Out On Bail ($3.50) is having a career year, now with eight wins and $74,491 earned for owner Mike Torcello. This was one of three wins for Sammy Smith on the card who also scored with the aforementioned Street Beats and Brave World. Morrill ended the night with a triple. 

Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Wednesday (Sept. 21) with post time 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

Jim Morrill Jr. was on fire Friday night (Sept.16) at Batavia Downs, winning five out of the 10 races on the card including both feature races.

In the $15,000 Open I Handicap trot, Morrill left with Credit List and took no prisoners in the process. He parked Frank’s Watching (Ray FIsher Jr.) who eventually ducked in second and Jumpinthejailhouse (Kevin Cummings) who could not find a seat and was destined for a long evening. Credit List went through quarters of :28.2 and :57.1 while Jumpinthejailhouse drafted in the breeze. As they motored up the backstretch, Jumpinthejailhouse was fading and Golden Kronos (Drew Monti) was winging three-deep around him on his advance towards the leader. Golden Kronos got to within one length of Credit List but that was it as Morrill shook him loose down the lane and won by two lengths in 1:57. 

It was the fifth win of the year for Credit List ($4.60) who is owned by Room4040 LLC Stables and trained by Kevin Reynolds Jr. 

In the $14,000 Open II Handicap, Morrill also left with Night Flyer K from his pylon position start and led at every station as well. After splits of :28.4, :57.4 and 1:27.1, Morrill asked for more and got it as Night Flyer K swelled up in the lane and kicked away by 3-¾ lengths to win in 1:56.2, which was the fastest win time ever by the mare over a half mile track and only one-fifth of a second off the Batavia Downs track record for aged trotting mares that coincidentally is co-owned by the second place finisher C R Blazin Beauty (2019), along with Chelsea’s Chance (2018). 

Fresh in from Yonkers, Night Flyer K ($4.00) was victorious in her first start for her new connections Vogel & Wags Nags and Team Rice Racing. Maria Rice is the winning conditioner. 

Morrill completed his quintet conquest with Osprey Vision (1:59.1, $5.10), Joey Pro (1:58.1, $2.10) and Always A Force (1:54.2, $4.40). Four of Morrill’s five wins came in grand slam fashion in races five, six, seven and eight. 

Morrill is currently in second place for dash wins at the Batavia meet and one might think that Friday’s performance would bring him that much closer to the top. However the current leader is Kevin Cummings and not to be outdone by Morrill, he had four wins of his own during the card so Morrill only closed the gap by one. After Friday’s action Cummings now has 65 wins and Morrill has 53.  

Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Saturday (Sept. 17) with post time 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

James V. Compton, 80, passed away on Sept. 13, 2022.

Mr. Compton was born on February 17, 1942 in Batavia, New York to the late Cecil and Alice Compton of East Pembroke, New York. He received his education at Corfu High School and worked as a milkman in the days of home delivery, then as a machinist before going to General Motors in Rochester, where he would retire.

Mr. Compton also loved horses and that led him to become involved in harness racing at Batavia Downs. He first got his license in 1972 and became both a successful driver and trainer that competed at several tracks in upstate New York. Early in his career he raced mostly claimers but starting in the early 1990’s he experienced some real success.

First came Held For Ransom who was an Open pacer that Compton both trained and drove and eventually won 51 races along with $125,115 in purses. Then when Held For Ransom’s racing career was over, Compton and his wife Sandra bred him to one of their retired race mares, suspicion Burns, and the result was his most notable horse, Michael Scores.

Michael Scores (1:50.4, $668,079) started out as a New York Sire Stake star and went on to be an overnight Open legend and will forever be considered one of the greatest pacers to come out of western New York. Out of 275 lifetime starts, Michael Scores won 86 races, finished second 47 times and third 27 more. His biggest win came in 2006 when he captured the Kane Memorial pace at Batavia Downs and set a new all-time track record of 1:52.1.

A short list of other notable horses campaigned by Mr. Compton include 55-race winner Gasper Again (1:53.4, $165,975), 50-race winner Splurging Rita (1:58.2, $161,231) and Sly Hi (1:56.1, $70,953).

During his career, Mr. Compton compiled some impressive numbers. As a driver he had 522 wins, 459 seconds and 367 thirds out of only 2725 starts, giving him a stellar .330 UDR and $1,137,716 in earnings. As a trainer he had 2,892 starts with 578 wins, 483 seconds and 385 thirds that gave him a .337 UTR and $1,934,431 in earnings.

Mr. Compton is survived by his loving wife of 61 years, Sandra L. Compton; his children, Kevin Compton of E Bethany, Roger Compton and his wife, Cheryl of Bloomfield NJ, Cheryl Squire and her husband, Timothy of Wakefield NC, Jeanne Palmer and her husband, Albert of Warsaw NY.

Mr. Compton also has 6 grandchildren; Taylor Squire, Rachael Boynton, Aaron Pahuta, Allyssa Compton-Disla, Michael Compton and Amanda Palmer; 2 great-grandchildren, Addison Gregg and Ethan Boynton; sister-in-law, Grace Compton; brother-in-law, Wayne Speed; Patty Beverly and her family, John Nelson and his family, Geri Puma and her family, along with many nieces, nephews and dear friends.

Mr. Compton is predeceased by his siblings, Phillip Compton, Richard Compton and Carol Speed, as well as his grandson, Zachary Squire.

Family and friends may call on Sunday (Sept. 18) from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Falcone Family Funeral & Cremation Service Inc., 8700 Lake St. Rd. (Rt. 19), LeRoy, New York. His Celebration of Life Service will be held on Monday (Sept. 19) at 11:00 a.m. at Northgate Free Methodist Church, 8160 Bank St. Rd., Batavia, New York. Interment will follow in Hillside Cemetery, East Pembroke, New York.

After winning two straight top paces for fillies and mares at Batavia Downs, Shallow was handicapped by post eight and seven the following two weeks and did not hit the board. This week she caught a short field but still had to dig deep to win the $15,000 Open I pace for fillies and mares on Wednesday evening (Sept. 14). 

They were three deep into the first turn when Shallow (Ray Fisher Jr.) out-tussled So Admirable (Jim Morrill Jr.) for the lead motoring to the quarter in :28.2. But Morrill wasn’t content with a pocket trip and pulled So Admirable in front of the stands and took control of the top before they hit the half in :58.1. 

Heading past the five-eighths, Tres Chic Bluechip (Kevin Cummings) pulled first-up but couldn not get closer than third on the rim as So Admirable was stretching out to a 2-¼ length advantage by the three-quarters. Heading into the lane, Shallow ducked into the passing lane while Tres Chic Bluechip went outside of So Admirable, making it three across the track. They stayed even for several strides but Shallow got the advantage in deep stretch and won by three-quarters of a length in 1:55. 

Shallow ($10.40) hit double digits in the win category, now sporting 10 victories in 2022 and they earned $82,616 for her owner Room4040 LLC Stables. Andy Gardner trains the winner. 

In the $11,000 upper-level conditioned event also written for distaff participants, Faithful Desire (Jim Morrill Jr.) drafted perfectly behind Misty Memory N (Dave McNeight III) through fractions of :29, :59.3 and 1:27.3 before tipping off cover and pacing home in a stiff :27.4 to win by one-half length in 1:55.3. 

Scoring her second win in the last three starts and sixth win of the year, Faithful Desire ($5.00) is owned by Crazy Parrot Farm and is trained by Shawn McDonough. 

Faithful Desire was the fourth win of the night for Morrill, who led all drivers for output on Wednesday. Tom Mays led all trainers for wins with two. 

Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Friday (Sept. 16) with post time 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