Sports

It didn’t take Matthew Hurlburt of Perry very long to feel comfortable bowling in an adult league for the first time.

On Sept. 5, Hurlburt, a 17-year-old left-hander, recorded his first United States Bowling Congress-certified 300 game on the opening night of the Wednesday JCI League at Livingston Lanes in Geneseo.

Hurlburt made his mark in the youth bowling program at Perry Bowling Center and as a member of the Genesee Region Youth Travel League, where he averaged 198 last season.

“I really wasn’t nervous until after I let go of the ball in the 12^th frame,” said Hurlburt, who noted that everyone else in the league stopped to watch him roll the final shot on lane 6 – a ball firmly in the 1-2 pocket, touching off cheers, applause and hugs.

The perfect game eclipses his previous high game of 279 and his 755 series (his games were 247-300-208) is his best ever.

An employee of Hendrickson’s Hooftrimming in Perry, Hurlburt said he is filling in for his mother, Diane, on Wednesday nights. He also bowls with her and dad, Jason, in the Monday Nite 5 League at Perry Bowling Center, and with some of his friends in the Thursday Night League in Perry.

He said he patterns his game which features a high backswing after his “idol,” Scott Culp of Lima, one of the best bowlers in the area.

Culp, who averages in the 240’s, isn’t bowling in the Wednesday JCI League this season, but is competing in the Monday Ontario-Livingston League, where he converted the 7-10 split earlier this week.

GENESEE REGION OFFERS HANDICAP MATCH PLAY TOURNAMENT

Genesee Region USBC members – men and women – are invited to compete in the 2^nd Invitational Match Play tournament on Sept. 29-30 at Mancuso Bowling Center in Batavia.

The handicap singles event is open to the first 64 association members who sign up by contacting Tom Fluker, tournament director, at tfstrikeforce@msn.com or at 585-284-2637.  An entry form can be found at www.bowlgr.com.

First prize (based on a full field of 64) is $750. The entry fee is $50.

The top 16 will cash. The GRUSBC is adding $250 to the prize fund.

The tournament format is as follows:

-- Best-of-three matches throughout with the first round set for noon and the Round of 32 at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.  On Sunday, the Round of 16 is at noon, Round of 8 at 2 p.m., Semifinals at 3:30 p.m. and Championship Match at 5 p.m.

-- Handicap is 80 percent of the top average in the tournament.

-- Bowlers will use their highest USBC league average for the past three seasons (at least 21 games).

-- The bowlers with the top eight averages will be seeded 1-2 across the four brackets while the remaining bowlers will draw for their seeding.

-- It is open to current GRUSBC members (men and women), including youth bowlers with SMART accounts.

Other local tournaments in the near future:

-- Oct. 13 – Camp Rainbow 3-person no-tap, Medina Lanes.
-- Nov. 3-4 – Gladys Ford Senior Women, Letchworth Pines, Portageville.
-- Nov. 10 – GRUSBC Senior Masters, Livingston Lanes, Geneseo.
-- Nov. 11 – Triple O Mechanical Handicap Singles, Rose Garden Bowl, Bergen.
-- Nov. 17 – Brian Morasco 3-person no-tap, Mancuso Bowling Center, Batavia.

BENNINGTON LANES JOINS GREATER BUFFALO USBC

The GRUSBC has been informed that Bennington Lanes will be joining the Greater Buffalo USBC for the 2018-19 season.

Last season, the GRUSBC serviced two leagues at Bennington Lanes -- a women's league on Wednesday night and a men's league on Thursday night.

That leaves the GRUSBC with 11 bowling centers, including Raider Lanes in Caledonia (formerly Cal Bowl).

Raider Lanes has not hosted any USBC-certified leagues for the past few years but is attempting to revive league bowling this season.

Last night I spoke with 28-year-old Devin Doolittle of Fairport, who has several years of experience as a pinsetter mechanic under his belt, having worked at a few centers in Rochester.

He said that he is running Raider Lanes for owner John Kabrovsky of Rochester and that the synthetic (overlay) lanes and the pinsetters are in “great shape.”

“We’re getting leagues started and we’re open for birthday parties,” said Doolittle, who also is working two or three nights a week at Scopano’s Lanes in Oakfield.

Scopano’s continues to be owned by the Scopano family but everything points to it being sold to a couple from New Jersey over the next several weeks.

Currently, Scopano’s hosts a women’s league on Monday, a men’s league on Wednesday, a no-tap league on Friday and a Saturday morning youth program.

In other bowling center news, Mike Kime of Honeoye Falls is the new general manager at Livingston Lanes in Geneseo.

Ironically, Kime started off as a pin-chaser in 1985 at Livingston Lanes, and now has returned, in his words, “to repair the pinsetters and hopefully bring back some of the bowlers who were there a few years ago.”

In between, Kime managed Cal Bowl in Caledonia for 18 years and Brongo Bowl (now Miller Lanes) in Honeoye Falls for 15 years.

TOMMY KRESS’ 60-AND-OVER TOUR TO START NEXT SUNDAY

The 60-and-Over Tour coordinated by NYS Hall of Famer Tommy Kress of Hilton kicks off its season next Sunday (Sept. 30) at Brockport Bowl.

Check-in for the noon event starts at 11 a.m. The entry fee is $45.

Entrants roll three games (scratch). After that, the top nine bowlers plus three bowlers with the highest scores from each age group will advance to the match play finals. If there are 48 or more entries, the top 10 overall scores -- plus the top two from each of the three age groups -- will advance.

The tournament schedule confirmed thus far is as follows:

-- Sept. 30, Brockport Bowl.
-- Oct. 28, Doug Kent's Rose Bowl Lanes, Newark.
-- Nov. 25, Brad Angelo Lanes, Lockport.
-- Dec. 23, Bowl-A-Roll Lanes, Rochester.
-- Jan. 27, Parkview Bowl, Rochester.
-- Feb. 24, Gates Bowl, Rochester.
-- March 31, Domm’s Bowling Center, Rochester.
-- April 28, Pleasure Lanes, Hilton.

‘WELCOME BACK’ TO THE BUSINESSES THAT SUPPORT PIN POINTS

Pin Points, which runs 17 times over the course of the bowling season, on The Batavian, would not be possible without the continued support of our sponsors.

Your support of the following businesses is deeply appreciated:

-- Turnbull Heating & Cooling.
-- Rose Garden Bowl, Bergen.
-- Oak Orchard Bowl, Albion.
-- Mount Morris Lanes.
-- Letchworth Pines, Portageville.
-- Genesee Region USBC.
-- Al Vlietstra Masonry.
-- Perry Bowling Center.
-- Sheelar’s Automotive Repair, Batavia.
-- Medina Lanes.

The Batavian offers special pricing for businesses that sponsor the bowling column. Contact me at mikepett2002@yahoo.com for more information.

UNUSUAL LEAVE: Scott Shields of Batavia rolled the first six strikes in the T.F. Brown's League last Thursday night at Mancuso Bowling Center before being stopped by a rare split -- the 5-7-10 on lane 9. The right-hander took out the 5-pin on his spare shot, and finished with a 221 game.

Photo of Valudis Deo with trainer/driver/co-owner Kevin Cummings.

By TIm Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

For the second time in three weeks, Validus Deo laid claim to being the best pacer in Western New York after winning the $10,000 Open Handicap pace at Batavia Downs on Saturday night (Sept. 15).

The starter released the field and they all hit the pylons in draw order going into the first turn. Halfway up the backside, Bugatti (Ron Beback Jr.) pulled to advance but Valudis Deo (Kevin Cummings) swooped three-deep around him and took the lead by the quarter in a tepid :28 and at that point, the race was won.

Validus Deo motored down to the half in :55.4 and three-quarters in 1:24 flat as Whosurpapa (Billy Davis Jr.) tried to challenge first-over but didn’t have any answers once out there. Rounding the last turn Cummings got more aggressive with his drive, knowing the pocket-sitting Barry Hanover (Shawn McDonough) was ready to pounce. As that situation unfolded, Validus Deo was up to the challenge and maintained his lead to the wire in 1:52.2, which was a new seasonal mark for the winner.

Validus Deo ($5.70) registered his ninth win of the year and 35th of his career for trainer/driver Kevin Cummings who co-owns the winner with Matthew Rosiek and Robert Johnson.

The $9,000 Open II was won by Upfront Countryboy (Billy Davis Jr.) who got away last before sliding up to fourth along the pylons past the half and shaking loose three-deep at the top of the stretch to pull away and win by a length in 1:52.4.

It was the 11th win of the year for Upfront Countryboy ($17.40) who is owned by William Emmons and trained by James Clouser Jr.

The fastest mile of the night was orchestrated by Lucan Hanover (John Cummings Jr.) who went wire to wire in 1:52 in an upper level condition race. The very classy $1.1 million earner Lucan Hanover ($5.10) took up residency at Batavia Downs in early August after a private purchase by Vogel & Wags Nags Stable, Jack Rice and Pine Hill Racing. Maria Rice trains the winner.

Drew Monti led all drivers on Saturday with three wins followed by John Cummings Jr. and Billy Davis Jr. who both had two.

There was no winner in the early Pick-5 wager on Saturday, meaning there is a carryover pool of $620 for the early Pick-5 when racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Wednesday (Sept. 19) at 5 p.m. DIrector/General Manager of Live Racing Todd Haight has also announced that the early Pick-5 pool will be guaranteed at $1,500 on Wednesday.

Southern Palms, with driver Kevin Cummings, takes the lead.

By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

After settling for minor spoils in the top class at Batavia Downs over the last few weeks, Southern Palms swelled up on the front end to win the $10,500 Open Handicap trotting feature on Friday night (Sept. 14).

After a lengthy delay for a shoe malfunction, Southern Palms (Kevin Cummings) returned to the track well-heeled and uncharacteristically left the gate hard to take the front. He cut fractions of :27.2, :57 and 1:26.2 with only a mild challenge from last week’s Open winner Empire Earl N (Ray Fisher Jr.) which didn’t last into the final turn. 

However the pocket-sitting Chelsea’s Chance (Billy Davis Jr.) was fresh and popped the deuce to bring game down the lane. Davis was urging Chelsea’s Chance as best he could but Southern Palms was on cruise control and wouldn’t allow the mare to get any closer than a length and won in a season’s best 1:56.2. 

Southern Palms ($9.90) scored his sixth win of the year for owner Mike Torcello, who has now pocketed $47,946 this year as a result of his horse’s good work. Gerry Sarama trains the winner. 

In the $8,000 Open II trot, Barn Winner (Ray Fisher Jr.), who made his first start since July 20, tripped-out to the half before pulling to take a lead he would hold to the wire and win in 1:57.4. It was the second win in only 10 2018 starts for Barn Winner ($4.90) who is owned by Tanah Merah Farms and the Swift Racing Stable. Ryan Swift trains Barn Winner.

Ray Fisher Jr. had a big night in the bike, scoring a driving grand slam. Besides the already mentioned Barn Winner, Fisher also won with Drive ‘Em Cowboy (1:55.4, $4.20), Wallflower, (1:56.2, $6.50) and Lougazi (1:57, $24.20).

Kevin Cummings also drove three winners on the night and those wins put him back on top of the dash driver standings by two, ahead of Drew Monti who had the lead going into the evening. 

Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Saturday night (Sept. 15) at 6 o'clock.

Photo of Melodies Major with driver Tyler Buter.

By TIm Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

Two divisions of New York Sire Stake (NYSS) 2-year-old colt and gelding pacers were in town on Wednesday (Sept. 12) to compete for $109,000 in purses at Batavia Downs and in the first $54,500 split, Melodies Major (Art Major-Hilarious) left a lasting impression on the locals by setting a new track record.

Bicorne Hanover (Matt Kakaley) left from post one and opened up a quick two-length advantage while Melodies Major (Tyler Buter) dropped in second to get the perfect garden spot trip. The top two broke away from the field while setting fractions of :28.3, :58 and 1:26.3. At that last station Buter popped the plugs and pulled Melodies Major and he went right past Bicorne Hanover in the blink of an eye. At the top of the lane, Buter sat chilly while Melodies Major paced home in :27.3, well in hand at the wire in 1:54.1.

The time of 1:54.1 is a new track record for 2-year-old pacing colts at Batavia Downs, replacing the 1:54.2 standard set by Doctor Butch in 2012 and matched by He’s Watching in 2013.

“When I pulled him he was loaded with pace,” said Buter after the race. “We got a perfect trip, everything went well and I couldn’t have asked for anything better.”

It was the sixth win in eight starts this year for Melodies Major ($5.50) who now has earned $166,433 in NYSS purses and finished as the top point-getter in his division with 325. Melodies Major is owned by Martin Scharf, is trained by Mark Ford and was bred by James Avritt Sr.

In the second $54,500 division, Covered Bridge (American Ideal-Stonebridge Kisses) provided a major upset in a blanket finish.

The heavily favored Reining Deo (Jim Morrill Jr,) took an expected spot on the front end and with no early challengers, Morrill took advantage and backed the half off to :59.1. Having his fill of the slow fractions, Ray Schnittker pulled Hurrikane Kingklee from fourth and started moving up the outside.

Photo of Covered Bridge with Kevin Cummings.

Morrill responded with a :28.1 third panel effectively ending the first challenge. However, Covered Bridge (Kevin Cummings) who was drafting second-over, tipped three wide at the same time and was raging with pace. Covered Bridge got to within a length of Reging Deo going into the final straight and then proceeded to run him down to the wire, winning by a head in 1:55.4 at 22-1. 

The time was a new lifetime mark for the winner.

“Off a half in :59, she went a big mile from where she was,” said Cummings. “She raced huge, I like her a lot. She’s a nice horse.”

It was the second win of the year for Covered Bridge ($46.80), both in NYSS action for owners David Smith and James Giannuzzi and trainer Jessica Okusko. Covered Bridge was bred by WInbak Farm.

There were also two $15,000 Excelsior “A” races on the card.

The first division was won by Shim (American Ideal-Feel Life) who got away sixth by 12 lengths, survived an interference break then rallied to win by two in 1:57.1. Shim ($5.90) was driven by Ray Fisher Jr. for owners Pat Lachance (who also trains the winner), M & M Harness Racing, Ira Rosenblum and the Royal Flush Stable. Shim was bred by White Birch Farm.

The second division went to Cal (American Ideal-Hula’s Z Tam) who got away third before pulling at the half to take the lead and eventually the race in 1:58.1. Cal ($10.40) was driven by Matt Kakaley for owners Crawford Farms Racing and the Northfork Racing Stable and trainer Chris Oakes. Cal was bred by Pat Lachance and the Z Tam Stable.

The $320,000 NYSS consolation races will be held at Batavia Downs on Friday (Sept. 21). The $1.8 million NYSS finals are the following night, Saturday (Sept. 22) at Yonkers Raceway.

Photo of Hickfromfrenchlick with driver Ray Schnittker courtesy of Ken Weingartner.

By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

The eighth and final “regular season” visit of the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) to Batavia Downs brings the 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings to Genesee County on Wednesday (Sept. 12) to compete in two divisions for a total of $109,000 dollars. The Batavia Downs track record for 2-year-old pacing colts is 1:54.2 and that standard is definitely in danger of going down. 

The NYSS events are carded in race three and five. Two $15,000 Excelsior “A” legs will be held in race one and two. Post time for the first race is 5 p.m.

The first $54,500 NYSS freshman pace features the top point earner in the series Melodies Major (Art Major-Hilarious) and the red hot Hickfromfrenchlick (So Surreal-My Girl’s A Star) in a race that could easily rewrite the local record book.  

Melodies Major has raced exclusively in NYSS events this year and has excelled, winning five out of seven of them. And he’s been successful over every size track in the state. In his most recent outing he scored a big come-from-behind win at Vernon Downs, taking a new lifetime mark of 1:51.3 in the process. He comes in here sharp as a tack and looking forward to the final. 

Melodies Major is 2-1 morning line and leaves from post five with his regular driver Tyler Buter aboard for trainer Mark Ford.

Pushing the issue will be Hickfromfrenchlick who has won four out of his last six outings. 

Hickfromfrenchlick has won his last two NYSS races and like Melodies Major, took a new lifetime mark of 1:51.3 at Vernon Downs last week. The start before that he won in 1:53.3 at Yonkers, beating Melodies Major by only a half-length. He hasn’t been worse than second all year and he will be a force to deal with here. 

Western New York native trainer/driver Ray Schnittker will be aboard from post six as the second choice at 5-2.

The second $54,500 split has Reining Deo (Rock n Roll Heaven-Little Miss) looking to cement his spot in the NYSS final. 

Reining Deo is currently eighth in points but could still be knocked out in a worst-case scenario. He has been one-two-three in four NYSS starts and has a mark of 1:54.2 at Saratoga. A win would give him 142 points and a ticket to ride in the final. 

Trainer Brett Pelling has Jim Morrill Jr. in the bike and they have been made the 2-1 morning line favorite from post five. 

JoJo’s Place (Roll With Joe-Angel Place) is winless this year but has hit the board in three NYSS races. He has a very outside chance of making the final but only if he could win here. Recently he has been hampered with outside posts for the last five outings and drawing post two will definitely help. Although he finished fifth last week at Vernon, he still paced in 1:52.3 in defeat. 

Matt Kakaley will be driving for trainer John Butenschoen and they were made 3-1 by the track handicapper. 

Major March (Art Major-March You And Me) has been a bit of a late bloomer. After winning big in an Excel “A” race at Saratoga in 1:54.1 by seven lengths, he stepped up to the NYSS for the last two starts and acquitted himself well. He seems to fit this field nicely and should not be overlooked given his recent outings. 

Hall of Fame trainer Linda Toscano has tabbed Drew Monti to drive and they will start from post six at 7-2.  

The 2018 NYSS Consolations races which carry a total purse value of $320,000 will be held at Batavia Downs on Friday (Sept. 21). 

Photo of Focus Power with reinsman Drew Monti.

By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs 

Finding himself hopelessly boxed in approaching the stretch, Focus Power somehow shook loose and out-paced everyone to the wire to win the $10,500 Open pace at Batavia Downs on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 8). 

China Dream (John Cummings Jr.) took the lead by the quarter and backed the half off to :57 flat as no one challenged the position. But last week’s Open winner Validus Deo (Kevin Cummings) started to advance on the outside in front of the stands with Heaven Rocks (Ray Fisher Jr.) following him. This left Focus Power locked in on the pylons fifth, with nowhere to make a move. 

China Dream threw in a swift :27.4 third panel which stifled the advance by the outside horses. Cummings Jr. had let China Dream out another notch around the last turn and had a solid two length advantage at the top of the stretch. Still fifth on the pins, Focus Power found a lane to move forward as Validus Deo drifted out and then driver Drew Monti went to work. Under a solid right-hand drive Focus Power was a blur with pace, making up the five lengths he was behind to win by a neck in 1:53.3. 

Focus Power ($7.20) got his third win in his last six starts and fifth overall of the year for owner Jim Caradori, who has now benefitted the amount of $41,541 from his gelding's efforts. Darrin Monti conditions the winner. 

In the co-featured $9,000 Open II pace, Whosurpapa (Billy Davis Jr.) rebuffed and early challenge from Mr. Euroman N (John Cummings Jr.), another try from him at the three-quarters and then a late push from the pocket-sitting Barry Hanover (Shawn Mcdonough) to go gate to wire never headed in 1:54.1. Whosurpapa ($11.80) got his 10^th win of the year and padded his bank to $59,318 for owner William Emmons and trainer James Clouser Jr. 

Billy Davis Jr. got his second consecutive driving hat trick on Saturday, besting all reinsmen for wins on the night. Davis currently sits third in the dash driver standings with 35 wins behind the leading Kevin Cummings (47) and Drew Monti (46). 

Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Monday afternoon (Sept. 10) with a post time of 5 o'clock.

Photo of Empire Earl N with driver Ray Fisher Jr. in the forefront.

By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

He may be 10, but Empire Earl N looked more like a 3-year-old as he came from far back to brush down the lane and win the $10,000 Open Handicap trot in the fastest mile of his life on Friday evening (Sept. 7) at Batavia Downs. 

Post time favorite BZ Glide (Mike Caprio) and 13-1 shot Empire Earl N (Ray Fisher Jr.) started and finished the race side by side but took two different paths to the wire. BZ Glide went right for the front from post six while Empire Earl N got away last from post five. BZ Glide set his own set of fractions as no one challenged him until halfway up the backstretch when Southern Palms (Kevin Cummings) came first over at the five-eighths and got even with the leader by the three-quarters. 

As the action was unfolding up front, Empire Earl N was tracking it second over and Fisher was timing his move. That came as they rolled out of the last turn; Empire Earl N tipped three-deep and was barreling down the center of the track with Fisher rocking and knocking all the way. The three horses hit the wire a neck apart with Empire Earl N getting there first ahead of BZ Glide in 1:56.3, which was a new lifetime mark.  

It was the eighth win of the season for Empire Earl N ($28.60) and it bolstered his 2018 earnings to $61,378 for owner Kim Asher. Riley Stalbaum-Asher trains the winner. 

In the $8,000 Open II, Call My Broker (Kevin Cummings) took no prisoners going gate to wire in 1:58.3, holding off the fast-closing Snapshot Springs (Drew Monti) and Barn Star (Mike Caprio) to chalk up his fourth win of the season. Frank Meier owns the Angelo Nappo trained gelding. 

Billy Davis Jr. led all drivers on the card as he started the night out hot with a natural hat trick in races one through three. 

The Batavia Downs early Pick-5 was part of the USTA Strategic Wagering program and was featured as the USTA Play of the Day on Friday with a carryover of $2,900 and a guaranteed pool of $6,000. That pool ballooned to over $10,000 when the first race went off and it yielded an instant jackpot payoff after the fifth. A $1 ticket on the combination of 1-7-6-5-3 returned $4,417.50. 

Racing resumes at Batavia Downs with a twilight card today (Sept. 8) featuring a post time at 4:45 p.m.