Photo of Treasured Tee courtesy of Wendy J. Lowery.
Co-features valued at $13,500 each topped the card at Batavia Downs on Saturday (Aug.17) night and the victorious parties of both events were no stranger to the winner’s circle.
First in the Open trot, Treasured Tee (Joe Chindno Jr.) tripped out to his second consecutive score at this level.
Crazy Ritz (Jim McNeight Jr,) was the leader through fractions of :28.3, :59 and 1:28.1 while Treasured Tee followed each step from the pocket and nobody from behind made any aggressive moves. At three-quarters, Chindano pulled Treasured Tee and matched strides with Crazy Ritz around the last turn and into the stretch. Then five pylons in, Treasured Tee bolted and won by a length in 1:57.
It was the eighth win of the year for Treasured Tee ($8.80) who is owned by his trainer Francis Guillemette in partnership with Stephane Geoffroy.
Two races later in the Open Handicap pace, The Longest Yard (Jim Morrill Jr.) went to the front and hung on in a squeaker.
The Longest Yard took control off the gate while Lip Reader A (Drew Monti) dropped in second for the mile. The Longest Yard set solid fractions of :28, :57.2 and 1:26 with Lip Reader A breathing down his neck and the rest of the field trying to keep pace. Lip Reader A tipped coming off the last turn and drew even with The Longest Yard as the pair hooked up in a duel to the wire. Lip Reader A tried hard, but The Longest Yard refused to lose and hung on by a neck in 1:54.1..
That made it two in a row for The Longest Yard ($4.30) and pushed him over the $300,000 mark in lifetime earnings ($303,468) for owner Mike Torcello, Sam Smith trains the winner.
Drivers Jim Morrill Jr. and Joe Chindano Jr. each had a grand slam in the bike while trainers Sam Smith and James Rothfuss won three races apiece.
Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Wednesday (Aug. 21) 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.
Photo of The Longest Yard courtesy of Wendy J. Lowery.
On Saturday, September 21 the 2nd Annual Ricky Palermo Foundation Comedy Night will be held inside the Park Place room featuring comedy from Nick Marra, Dan Viola, and Tim Meier.
Attendees will receive a buffet dinner, free drink, and $25 in Free Play. Sponsorship packages are also available, including signage, VIP seating, vocal recognition, and additional drink tickets.
“We had so much fun last year we decided to do it again,” said Ricky Palermo, President and CEO of the Ricky Palermo Foundation. “Through this great event we were able to raise awareness and much needed funds to help our community and continue to find a cure for spinal cord injuries. We look forward to seeing people back again this year at Batavia Downs.”
Tickets are $60 and can be purchased by going to rickypalermofoundation.org/store-1.
Photo of The Last Martini courtesy of Wendy J. Lowery.
The Last Martini served up the first career loss to Cowgirl Hanover after she went gate to wire in the lone $102,500 division of the New York Sire Stakes for 2-year-old pacing fillies on Wednesday (Aug. 14) evening at Batavia Downs.
Sent off as the prohibitive 1-9 betting favorite, Cowgirl Hanover (Doug McNair) got away third as stablemate The Last Martini (Jason Bartlett) grabbed the lead and got to the quarter in :29. With the short field following in single file, Bartlett throttled down the half even more to a :59.1 saunter and still didn’t get any opposition from behind until well into the second circuit.
Halfway up the backstretch, McNair finally pulled Cowgirl Hanover, who quickly made her way to second in a now up tempo 28 flat third panel. As the pair made their way around the last turn, Cowgirl Hanover got to within one-half length of The Last Martini, but that would be as close as she would get. The Last Martini paced furiously down the lane and refused to give up any ground at all to Cowgirl Hanover and won by one-half length in a 1:54.4 mile that featured a :27.3 final quarter.
It was the second straight win for The Last Martini ($19.80) and it pushed her earnings to $110,399 for owner Glenview Livestock. Jared Bako trains the winner who was bred by Crawford Farms.
There were also four $20,000 Excelsior stakes on the card and these are the winners in order of race.
Huntingfortreasure (Huntsville-Worldly Treasure) won in 1:57.4 for driver Mark Macdonald, trainer Ray Schnittker and owner/breeder Steve Jones.
Fashion Terror (Huntsville-High Fashion Model) won in 1:58.1 for driver Jason Bartlett, trainer Mark Ford and owner/breeder All Star Racing.
Beantown Deuce (Huntsville-Don’t Think Twice A) won in 1:58.2 for driver Brett Beckwith, trainer George Ducharme and owner Michael Goldberg, who bred the filly with Andrew Harris.
Fansville (Huntsville-Caviart Elena) won in 1:55 for driver Jason Bartlett, trainer Joe Bongiorno and owner Chain Lightning Stables. Eric Tadeo bred the winner.
Jason Bartlett added one overnight victory and ended his night with a grand slam in the bike.
Another big winner on Wednesday was Huntsville, who sired all five NYSS and Excelsior winners and also 10 of the 15 horses who hit the board in those same five races.
Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Saturday (Aug. 17) 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.
Photo of Won Surreal Deal courtesy of Wendy J. Lowery.
Dave McNeight III, aka “Triple Sticks”, doubled his nickname on Tuesday (Aug. 13) night after he struck six wins on his opponents at Batavia Downs. McNeight won with Italia Seelster (1:57.2, $4.00), Arco N (1:56.3, $3.50), Molly Kool (1:56.2, $12.40), Arnold (2:00.2, $17.20), Alexander Hanover (2:01, $10.20) and Bettor B Sawyer (1:57.3, $10.20). And from the 12 races he drove in, McNeight also finished second three times and third once, giving himself a stellar .667 UDR for the evening.
McNeight started the night in sixth place for wins among all drivers at the Downs for the current meet and jumped past Joe Chindano Jr. (9) and Drew Monti (10) into fourth with his current count (12) and now sits right behind Jim McNeight Jr. (13). The top two drivers are Jim Morrill Jr. (19) and Kevin Cummings (14).
The one race McNeight didn’t win was the $13,500 Open Handicap pace for fillies and mares that went to Tioga Downs based Won Surreal Deal (Kyle Cummings) who made her second start at Batavia Downs a winning one as she wreaked havoc on her opponents.
Won Surreal Deal took the lead off the gate before momentarily yielding to Summer Lovin (Kevin Cummings) at the :28 quarter. But as soon as that one cleared, Won Surreal Deal was out again and charged back to the front, where she would remain for the rest of the mile. Won Surreal Deal kept the pace honest to the half in :56.4 but then turned on the heat up the backstretch, where she pulled away to a three length lead as she passed three-quarters in 1:25 flat. Around the last turn, Won Surreal Deal kept tightening the screws and entered the lane on top by 4-½ lengths. As she made her way down the stretch, Won Surreal Deal swelled up and torched the field by seven wrapped-up lengths and tripped the light in 1:53.4.
It was the third win of the year for Won Surreal Deal ($5.50) who is owned by Parsimonious Stable and trained by Jeff Sorenson.
Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Tuesday (Aug. 13) 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.
Photo of Cowgirl Hanover courtesy of Jessica Hallett.
Wednesday (August 14) night at Batavia Downs, one five horse field consisting of 2-year-old pacing fillies will line up in the New York sire Stakes for their shot at the winner’s share of the $102,500 purse that is available for this small but select group.
Headlining that field is Cowgirl Hanover (Huntsville-Code One Hanover) who comes in undefeated lifetime and is anticipated to be the prohibitive post time favorite.
Cowgirl Hanover has been peerless in her first five career starts, all of which were victories in NYSS events by as many as three open lengths. Her 1:53.3 lifetime best effort at Yonkers on July 11 came despite dealing with broken equipment at the end of the race. She is the leader in points (250) and earnings ($207,500) in her division of the NYSS and will certainly add to those totals here.
Trainer Jared Bako will have Doug McNair between the wheels again and they will depart from post one on Wednesday.
One of Cowgirl Hanover’s main threats appears to come from her stablemate and another Bako trainee, The Last Martini (Huntsville-Martinique) who is coming off a lifetime mark (1:54.1) of her own last week at Saratoga Raceway. She has two less starts than the rest of this field this year, but seems to be rounding into form nicely off that last outing.
The Last Martini will have Jason Bartlett at the lines and they will start right next to Cowgirl Hanover in post two.
Another one to watch here is Send It Down Slim (Huntsville-Rockinsangria), who has not missed the board in five NYSS starts with two wins, two seconds and one third. And those efforts have her sitting second for points (162) and earnings ($120,581) behind Cowgirl Hanover. But she has also lost to both Cowgirl Hanover and The Last Martini in her last two starts, despite having post one in both outings. Here she drew post five, but her gate speed may very well give her the advantage she needs anyway.
Trainer Ray Schnittker once again has Mark Macdonald in the bike, who has driven this filly all year.
The New York Sire Stake event will go as race six. There are also four, $20,000 Excelsior stakes that are carded as races two, four, eight and 10. Post time for the first race on Wednesday is 6 p.m.
Photo of The Longest Yard courtesy of Wendy J. Lowery.
Driver Kevin Cummings had his biggest night of the meet so far at Batavia Downs on Saturday (Aug. 10) evening after winning a total of five races on the program. His most notable victory came in the $13,500 Open Handicap pace with The Longest Yard, who closed late for the win.
Vel Mr. Nice Guy (Joe Chindano Jr.) cut the mile while The Longest Yard sat chilly in the garden spot with the trip. After the race passed the half in a tepid :57, Melanion N (Drew Monti) pulled first-over in turn three and marched towards the leader up the backstretch. After the pace picked up with a 1:25.2 third quarter, Melanion N got to within a length of Vel Mr. Nice Guy and closed that gap a bit more in the far turn.
When the group straightened out for home, The Longest Yard shook loose at the pylons and the three horses dashed to the wire. In deep stretch, Vel Mr. Nice Guy faded but Melanion N and The Longest Yard forged ahead and hit the light in unison, taking a photo to determine that The Longest Yard won by a nose in 1:53.3.
It was the fourth win of the year for The Longest Yard ($3.60) who is owned by Mike Torcello and trained by Sam Smith.
Cummings’ other wins came with Better Take It (1:54.3, $4.60) and Ys Lotus (1:55.4, $3.60) who were also owned by Torcello and trained by Smith, with Kyuquot (1:57.4, $6.60) and Thor De Vie (1:56.2, $2.30) rounding out his quintuple.
The co-featured $13,500 Open I-II Handicap trot was won by Treasured Tee (Joe Chindano Jr.) who led from start to finish. After stopping the clock at :27.4, :58.2 and 1:27.4, Treasured Tee rounded the final bend and then headed for home, stretching out to a 1-½ length upset victory in 1:57.4.
It was the seventh win of the year for Treasured Tee ($29.20) who is owned by Stephane Geoffroy and Francis Guillemette, who also trains the winner.
Chindano had a solid night in the bike himself after scoring a hat trick. One of those three wins was Keystone Doral, who was last at three-quarters before circling the field to win by 1-½ lengths in 1:57.4 at 49-1. Keystone Doral paid $100.50 to win.
Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Tuesday (Aug. 13) at 6 p.m. and there will be a $1,902 carryover in the Pick-5 in the first race and a $280 carryover in the Super Hi-5 in race 13.
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.
Photo of Treasured Tee courtesy of Wendy J. Lowery.
Photo of Thirsty Thursday courtesy of Wendy J. Lowery.
The $105,000 New York Sire Stakes for 2-year-old male pacers were at Batavia Downs on Wednesday (Aug. 7) and both divisions were won by heavy favorites.
The first $52,500 division went to Thirsty Thursday (Huntsville-Tequila Monday) who equaled his lifetime mark with an impressive outing.
Thirsty Thursday (Matt Kakaley) took the lead from Courts On Fire (Greg Merton) passing the :28.4 quarter and never looked back from there. After getting to the half in :57.4, Thirsty Thursday faced challenges from Oogleville (Jason Bartlett) and Holt Hanover (Mark Macdonald) going to three-quarters, but he turned back both by the top of the lane. As they straightened for home, Thirsty Thursday was under Kakaley wraps and coasted home clean in 1:54.3.
Thirsty Thursday ($2.30) is now three for three lifetime for owners/breeders Flying A Racing Stable and Chuck Pompey. Travis Alexander trains the winning colt.
The second $52,500 split went to Fast Choice (Courtly Choice-Fashion Guru) who also remained undefeated.
Fast Choice (Doug McNair) got away third as Groovin Will (Greg Merton) marched to the half in a very pedestrian 1:01. As the race advanced to the five-eighths, Fast Choice pulled first-over and cleared the front in a :28.2 third panel. From there, Fast Choice bolted home on top by two lengths in a :27.2 closer to win in 1:56.4.
It was the third straight win for Fast Choice ($3.40) who is owned by Ashley Bako and Randy Zane and trained by Jared Bako. Winbak Farm bred the winner.
There were also three $20,000 Excelsior stakes on the card.
The first was won by Southpaw (American Ideal-Love You Bye) in 1:57.1 for driver/trainer/owner/breeder Jimmy Whittemore.
The second went to Digging For Gold (Huntsville-Gold Orchid N) in 1:56.3, driven by Tyler Buter for trainer George Ducharme who co-owns with Jim Winske and Dr. Megan Moschgat. Bamq bred the winner.
The third was won by Invictus (Huntsville-Dark Force) in 1:56.4, driven by Jim Morrill jr. for trainer Roland Mallar and owner Jeffrey Nanna. James Crawford IV bred the winner.
Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Saturday (Aug. 10) 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.
Photo of Center Attraction courtesy of Wendy J. Lowery.
After winning on the front-end just last week, Center Attraction completely changed strategies but still got the same results in the $13,500 Open pace for fillies and mares at Batavia Downs on Tuesday (Aug. 6) evening.
Jim McNeight Jr. got away last with Center Attraction while Imprincessgemma A (Shawn McDonough) was on the point, jousting with Forgot Thewallet A (Kyle Swift) through quarters of :27.2 and :55.3 over a rain affected track listed as good. When the race came out of turn three, the field started to bunch and Center Attraction had made her way to fifth, second-over on the outside.
Forgot Thewallet A stalled at three-quarters so Center Attraction tipped three-deep around her in the last turn. At the top of the lane, Center Attraction drew even with Imprincessgemma A and then confidently pulled away to the line where she won by a length in 1:56.1.
It was the third win of the year for Center Attraction ($10.80) who is owned by her trainer Robert Anderson, in partnership with Pamela Schieber.
Leading all drivers for wins on Tuesday were Joe Chindano Jr., who had a natural hat trick in races one, two and three and Dave McNeight III, who matched Chindano's output with a natural hat trick of his own in races eight, nine and 10.
Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Wednesday (Aug. 7) 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.
Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel has announced the tickets are now available for several indoor events happening in the Park Place Event Center in Late Summer and Fall.
On Saturday, August 31, Batavia Downs welcomes Rat Pack Now. This world-class tribute show recaptures the music, style, comedy, and camaraderie of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. This trio is brought to life by talented artists who together create an unforgettable performance that will wow fans and new listeners alike. Tickets start at $20 and attendees receive $10 in Free Play on the day of the show.
On Saturday, September 7, the annual Vodka, Gin & Potato Fest will take place from 4 - 6 p.m. For $30, attendees will have access to vodka and gin sampling as well as a potato bar station. Attendees receive $15 in free play, free program and $5 wager on that evening’s races at Batavia Downs.
On Saturday, September 14, Forever Seger returns to Batavia Downs. A dynamic journey through the timeless music of Bob Seger features lead singer, Kevin Reid. His authentic vocals, commanding performance and unmistakable 1970’s Seger-look are sure to captures your attention. Tickets start at $15 and attendees receive $10 in Free Play on the day of the show.
On Friday, September 20, join Clonakilty Irish Whiskey for a Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day Party. Enjoy a 4 course Irish Meal paired with Clonakilty’s award winning spirits. Staff from Clonakilty will be there to speak about the history of their distillery. Tickets are $60 and include dinner and $30 in Free Play.
Ciders, Seltzers and Sulkies presented by White Claw Hard Seltzer and Bud Light Seltzer will be on, Saturday, September 28. Cost is $30 and includes Seltzer Sampling, Grazing Stations, $15 in Free Play and a $5 wager on Live Racing at Batavia Downs which is happening that night. The event will run from 4 - 6 p.m.
Monday, September 23 Batavia Downs welcomes Fritz’s Polka Band for the 2024 Oktoberfest. This free event will run 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. The Homestretch Grill doors will be open and several polish food specials will be available.
WBBZ’s popular show, Polka Buzz, will tape several shows inside the Park Place Room on Thursday, October 3 with Music from the Buffalo Touch – tickets are $10 and you get back $10 in Free Play.
Batavia Downs’ famous Family Fun Day & Wiener Dog Races will take place on Sunday, October 13. Family related activities will also take place including on site entertainers, kettle corn stand, pumpkin decorating for kids 15 and under, carriage rides, and pony rides which will take place from 12 - 2 p.m. The wiener dog races will begin at 2 p.m.
The 2nd Annual Batavia Bacchus Wine Festival will be happening on Saturday, October 26 from 1 - 3:30 p.m. For $30, attendees will have access to wine sampling from local and national wineries as well as grazing stations. All attendees will receive $15 in free play.
The Batavia Downs Record Riot Vendor Show is Sunday, November 17. Attendees will be able to browse multiple vendor tables to discover a wide selection of vinyl records including rare finds, all while connecting with fellow music lovers. Tickets and details available at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-batavia-downs-record-riot-tickets-871290883487
On Thursday, November 21, The Uncle Louie Variety Show will return again to Batavia Downs. Italian American comedians, Carlo Russo and Lou Greco have delighted audiences at Batavia Downs and across the country! Doors are at 7 p.m. with the event beginning at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 for VIP tickets and $15 for regular tickets. Ticket holders will receive $10 in Free Play.
The first ever Batavia Downs Beer Crawl takes place on Saturday, November 30. Tickets are just $25 and you get $10 back in Free Play along with a drink ticket for each of Batavia Downs’ 4 bars that are open that day. Attendees will be able to get a drink while they watch live racing, the Buffalo Hockey game and take in the Free Nerds Gone Wild Event that will be taking place that evening.
Tickets for these events will be available at www.BataviaConcerts.com beginning at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, August 6. Hotel Deals for some of these events will go live at that time and links can be found on https://www.bataviadownsgaming.com/hotel-deals/.
The New York Sire Stakes return to Batavia Downs on Wednesday (Aug. 7) and will feature 2-year-old male pacers that will go in two divisions for a total purse of $105,000. The 12 pacers will feature two undefeated leaders in the NYSS as well as both holding national ranking.
Travis Alexander’s Thirsty Thursday (Huntsville-Tequila Monday) and Jared Bakos’ Fast Choice (Courtly Choice-Fashion Guru) are mirror images of each other. They are both undefeated with two wins in two lifetime starts that both came in NYSS action with identical best winning times of 1:54.3. And this has them both tied in first for points (100) and earnings ($77,300) in their NYSS category so far this year. Their earnings currently also have them tied as the fifth richest 2-year-old male pacers in North America. And finally, neither one of them raced last week in the NYSS contest at Monticello Raceway.
Since both are undefeated, they have obviously never gone head to head in a race yet and that will be the case once again on Wednesday.
Thirsty Thursday will be in the first $52,500 division and has drawn post two for regular driver Matt Kakaley and the competition will be looking to hand him his first loss.
Courts On Fire (Courtly Choice-Ashlee’s Spitfire) has not missed the board in three career starts, having finished one-two-three in NYSS action to this point. He took his lifetime mark of 1:55.3 just last week at Monticello in a convincing 2-1/4 length romp as the heavy favorite. He is currently third for points (87) and earnings ($54,183) and will look to improve that position here.
Blake Macintosh has Greg Merton aboard from post three.
Meltdown Monte (Huntsville-Sage N) is winless this year but has finished third in two NYSS starts. He has shown to be quite versatile in those two outings and drawing post one will definitely help his chances.
Tyler Buter will steer for trainer Scott Di Domenico.
Fast Choice will start from post one in the second $52,500 split with Doug McNair at the lines. He is coming off a scratch last week at Monticello but will look to regain his momentum against some tough competition.
Silent Weapon (Huntsville-D D Delightful) has hit the board in all three of his lifetime starts and is coming off a 6-1/2 length, 1:54.4 runaway victory at Monticello in NYSS action. He certainly looks like he has just hit his stride and will be more than formidable in this race.
Matt Kakaley will steer for this other Alexander-trained entry and will start from post four.
Groovin Will (Roll With Joe-Who Moved The Rock) won his last start in Excelsior action at Monticello and it was an impressive 1:54.1 lifetime best. He makes the leap to the NYSS here, but does it off the best race of his life and he should be considered a threat.
Trainer Blake Macintosh has Greg Merton between the wheels, who piloted him to victory last week.
The NYSS are carded as race six and eight. There are also three $20,000 Excelsior events programmed as race two, four and 10. Post time for the first race is 6 p.m.
Following the band’s summer tour, which includes an August 9 show at Batavia Downs, they will be headed back into the studio to put together a double CD “legacy” package including greatest hits and new songs. The disc is due out next spring.
“We (the band) are firing on all cylinders,” said Barnes, .38 Special’s longtime lead vocalist and guitar player.
The new songs will sound familiar to fans of the band - and that’s by design, Barnes insists.
“It is a throwback to our style,” Barnes said.
.38 Special came of age in the 1980s following a musical path carved out by such bands as the Outlaws and Marshall Tucker Band, among others. That translates to a healthy mix of old school rock with a southern bent.
“It’s great that we are still vibrant and relevant,” Barnes said. “When we started this, nobody knew how long it was going to last, or if would last, but it did.”
The band’s musical formula has worked and worked well.
.38 Special has made 15 studio albums and sold more than 20 million records. The hits and radio-friendly songs were plenty.
There’s “Hold on Loosely,” “Rocking into the Night” and “Caught Up in You,” among them. Yes, all will be part of .38 Special’s setlist at Batavia Downs.
“To us, it’s about having a good time on stage and taking our fans on a fun ride,” Barnes said. “It has to be fun for the fans and fun for us.”
Besides Barnes, fellow .38 Special band members include Bobby Capps on keyboards, Gary Moffatt on drums, bass player Barry Dunaway, and Jerry Riggs on guitar.
The band plays - on average - 100 shows a year.
"It doesn’t get stale," Barnes said.
Anything but.
“This is the greatest job in the world,” Barnes said. “We love bringing joy to people.”
Photo of Stranger Things courtesy of Wendy J. Lowery.
A pair of $13,500 Open Handicaps – one on the pace and one on the trot – highlighted the Saturday (Aug. 3) night card at Batavia Downs and both events provided exciting finishes.
In the pacing feature, Stranger Things (Jim Morrill Jr.) tripped out to victory with a fast finish.
Vel Mr. Nice Guy (Joe Chindano Jr.) and Stranger Things lined up one-two off the gate and skated through very soft fractions of :28.2 and :58.2 before Scribblers (Kyle Swift) led the charge on the outside heading into turn three. Chindano picked up the pace with Vel Mr. Nice Guy with a :27.4 third quarter and that erased Scribblers advance. But as that one faded around the final bend, it gave Stranger Things a clear path from the pocket to the middle of the track. At the top of the stretch, Morrill simply loose-lined Stranger Things who then just paced right buy Vel Mr. Nice Guy on his own to win by one-half length in 1:54.2.
It was the second win in the last three starts for Stranger Things ($12.80) who is owned by Kathy Schoeffel and James Reuther and trained by Angelo Nappo.
Morrill ended the night with a grand slam in the bike as he also won with Tiger Baron (1:54.3, $2.50), Sleeping Single (1:55.4, $4.80) and Stay Safe (1:59.3, $2.30).
Then in the top trot, Power And Grace (Drew Monti) hung tough late to beat the boys and claim her 65th career victory.
E Street (Kevin Cummings) grabbed the front first and yielded to Power And Grace at the :27.2 quarter. But as soon as she seated, Crazy Ritz (Jim McNeight Jr.) took the lead from her as they trotted past three-eights. But immediately, Monti pulled Power And Grace back out at the half and went back to the top, and this time for good. E Street pulled back out from third in the clubhouse turn and trotted alongside Crazy Ritz in second to three-quarters in 1:26.4. But that bid failed leaving Crazy Ritz clear to take his best shot. He pulled heading into the stretch and incrementally drew alongside Power And Grace. Both horses dug in for the line but Power And Grace was too good and hung on to win in 1:56.4.
It was the ninth win of the year and 65th Lifetime victory for Power And Grace ($6.00) who is owned by Hartel Maintenance, Lormer McClure, Brett Macdonald and Reg Higgs. Ronald Macdonald trains the 9-year-old daughter of Holiday Road-Mark Of Honour who has hit the board in 71% of her 202 career starts and sports a lifetime win percentage of 32%.
Monti scored the hat trick at the lines after also winning with I’m Already Gone (1:55.3, $13.40) and Maskedman (1:55.4, $4.40).
Sam Smith led all trainers on Saturday with two wins.
Photo of Gaston Guindon courtesy of Wendy J. Lowery.
Batavia Downs driving legend Gaston Guindon visited the track on Saturday and he was greeted by throngs of fans who vividly recalled his decades of driving dominance over the Genesee County oval. Guindon topped the local driver colony throughout the 1980’s and 90’s while winning many driving titles there during that time. The native of Buckingham, Quebec that made western New York his home for many years, left an indelible mark on the local harness racing scene while setting a standard of driving excellence that is still revered today. Guindon’s 3,080 wins and $7 million in purses highlighted a career that wrapped up in 2004 when “The Gasser” officially retired.
Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Tuesday (Aug. 6) at 6 p.m. and there will be a $1,004 carryover in the Super Hi-5 in race 12.
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.
Photo of Power And Grace courtesy of Wendy J. Lowery.
Classic rock fans certainly got an earful at Batavia Downs on Friday night with what essentially a double headline of a Tom Petty tribute band and a Fleetwood Mac tribute band entertained an estimated 4,500 concertgoers.
Practically Petty took the stage at 6:30 p.m. with a near-note-perfect performance of classics from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, including a few deep tracks.
Then, Rumors ALT took the stage and delivered a satisfying dose of Fleetwood Mac hits.
Contrary to an assertion by Dennis Bassett, chairman of the board for Western Regional OTB, Erie County officials believe a request to add an Erie County representative to the CEO search committee is timely.
On Wednesday, The Batavian received a copy of a letter sent by Erie County Executive Marc Poloncarz to Bassett asking that Timothy Callan, currently representing Erie County on the OTB board, be appointed to the board.
A spokesman for Poloncarz, Peter Anderson, claimed Erie County wasn't informed a search committee was formed until this past week.
"This request is not late," Anderson said in response to a set of email questions from The Batavian. "Dr. Callan was only informed of the hiring process at last week’s OTB meetings, and he briefed the County Executive earlier this week. The process has been opaque to many of the corporation’s directors, including Dr. Callan."
The Batavian recorded the motion's reading at the June meeting, which was read by Elliott Winter, Niagara County's representative on the board. The motion states, "Dennis Bassett is authorized to execute the renegotiation contracts for the corporation and to immediately assemble a search committee."
Callan's "no" vote is also recorded, confirming his presence at the meeting.
Anderson did not respond on Thursday for clarification of his response, given the contradiction in timelines.
The letter from Poloncraz touted Callan's high-level government experience as a qualification for inclusion on the committee but did not specify any private-sector business experience.
Anderson said there is no need for business experience to hire a chief executive.
"Erie County is a nearly $2 billion annual operation, which Dr. Callan has overseen both as deputy budget director and deputy comptroller," Anderson said. "Western Region OTB is not a private business and is, in fact, an NYS-regulated public entity. It is ludicrous to insinuate that a lack of private-sector business experience precludes Dr. Callan from the search process."
More than $1 billion passes through Batavia Downs annually, generating more than $86 million in revenue and leading to a profit of more than $10 million paid to municipalities.
Bassett has repeatedly promised, as board chair, to run Batavia Downs as a business, given the importance of its remaining competitive in the marketplace, so it can continue to generate profits to the benefit of its shareholders (the municipalities).
In early July, Bassett told The Batavian, "There are a number of municipalities that need Batavia Downs to be successful," Bassett said. "I mean, their budgets need for us to continue to generate revenues for them so we can help them do things that they would like to do in their own municipalities. They are not interested in us playing politics. They need for us to make good business decisions. As long as I'm the board chair and I will be chair for the next three and a half years, we are going to look at the right business decisions and how we can move this organization forward. And that's not going to be politically motivated."
Bassett, a Democrat representing Monroe County on the board, has a solid business background. In 2021, he retired as the director of Customer Operations at Ortho Clinical Diagnostics in Rochester. He's held various executive-level positions at Bausch and Lomb and Eastman Kodak Company.
The Batavian suggested that Poloncarz’s letter could be read to express a lack of confidence in Bassett and that he wasn't qualified to run the search committee. We asked what defect with the current committee Erie County is trying to cure with its request.
"The current committee lacks representation from the corporation’s largest member, Erie County," Anderson said. "As noted above, Western Region OTB is public, quasi-governmental entity, and Dr. Callan is a known subject matter expert in governmental management and financial procedures."
On Wednesday, Bassett said Callan will participate in the hiring process when he votes on a candidate to fill the CEO role.
Bassett has pledged not to let politics enter into the CEO hiring process, even promising not to inquire about the party affiliation of candidates. The Batavian asked Anderson if Poloncarz/Callan/Erie County was willing to make the same pledge.
Anderson did not make such an explicit pledge, and he did not respond to a follow-up email requesting a more explicit pledge.
He said in his first response, "Erie County’s objective is to find the most qualified candidate possible to lead Western Region OTB for the purposes of maximizing returns to the taxpayers of Erie County. Period."
After the June meeting, The Batavian emailed Callan to ask him why he voted against the buyout/search committee resolution, and he did not respond. So we asked Anderson why Callan voted against it.
"There continue to be outstanding legal and ethical questions regarding the golden parachutes authorized for Henry Wojtaszek and other senior Western Region OTB officials," Anderson said. "Such buyouts are not considered a best practice and, in fact, are illegal for NYS ABO-regulated entities."
Bassett, under the advice of the OTB legal council, has publicly stated that Western Regional OTB is not an NYS ABO-regulated entity.
Anderson is apparently referring to NYS Public Authority Law Section 43-A, which deals with severance packages for at-will employees of public authorities and limits the payout of any severance to three months of salary.
Bassett said Western OTB is a public benefit corporation organized under the NYS Racing, Pari-Mutuel Wagering and Breeding Law and, therefore, not subject to the Authority Law.
"The severance pay limits only apply to employees under Chapter 43-a," Bassett said. "The same is true of Henry Wojtaszek. As such, the New York State Severance Pay Limitations Act does not apply to Mr. White Miss Leach or to Mr. Henry Wojtaszek."
Anderson said the payouts are not a "best practice" in the business world. Bassett, with 51 years of corporate experience, says they are. (This reporter has received two contract buyouts as an executive with corporations during his career, and in both cases, when adjusted for inflation and relative executive positions, they were comparable to the buyouts offered to the OTB executives.)
In New York, all authorities, not just OTBs, similar to private businesses, are authorized, if not expected, to operate as businesses and follow standard business practices based on a ruling in a 1958 lawsuit, Civil Service Forum vs. New York City Transit Authority.
Authorities have the power to do all things "necessary or convenient to carry out its purposes," and "unlike other agencies performing governmental functions, (the authority) is required to run the transit system like a business, in that its facilities must be operated on a self-sustaining basis. Recognized business practices should be permitted."
In 1976, the Office of the Comptroller issued an opinion regarding the Suffolk Regional Off-Track Betting Corporation and came to the same conclusion.
The establishing statute for OTBs gives the board the power to "appoint officers, agents, employees ... and to fix their compensation ... and to "make contracts ... and execute all instruments necessary or convenient to accomplish its corporate purposes."
In a follow-up email, The Batavian asked Anderson to address contradictions between his statement and the evidence of standard business practices, as previously reported, but he has not responded.
Photo of Howlenthehills courtesy of Wendy J. Lowery.
Press Release:
Two $57,000 divisions of New York Sire Stake 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings lined up at Batavia Downs on Wednesday (July 31) evening and a pair of heavily favored Travis Alexander trainees, Howlenthehills (American Ideal-Arielle Lynn) and Huntingforchrome (Huntsville-All On Top Hanover), who were directed by driver Matt Kakaley, put on impressive performances to secure victories in both contests.
In the first event, Howlenthehills maintained his control from post one and led the field that lined up in post position order through quarters of :28.2, :57.4 and 1:26.1 without any provocations from behind. Halfway through the final turn, Boston Rocks (Jason Bartlett) vacated the garden spot and took his best shot at the leader. But after Boston Rocks got within a length at the top of the stretch, Howlenthehills simply pulled away under a line drive by Kakaley to win in 1:53.3.
It was the third straight win and eighth win in the last nine starts for Howlenthehills ($3.40) who has now earned $268,850 this year for owner Symmetry Stable.
Then in the second split, Huntingforchrome got away last by almost 10 lengths as Vandiemen Bluechip (Braxton Boyd) called the shots on top. While Taranaki (Kevin Cummings) was breathing down his back, Vandiemen Bluechip backed down the half to a tepid :58.3 while stacking up the field before they all entered the third turn.
When the group moved past five-eighths, Brett Beckwith pulled the right line on Ameritric from fourth and Huntingforchrome followed as the pace quickened to three-quarters in :28 flat. Then as they moved through the final bend, Ameritric could not gain ground on Vandiemen Bluechip so Kakaley tipped Huntingforchrome three-high as they entered the stretch. From there, Huntingforchrome closed out a sparkling :26.4 final quarter by bolting for home under no urging whatsoever to win by 1-½ lengths in 1:53.4.
It was the second win in the last four starts for Huntingforchrome ($2.10) who is owned by NY Seb Inc.
Howlenthehills and Huntingforchrome were both bred by Crawford Farms.
There were also three $20,000 Excelsior races on the card and one of them went faster than both NYSS events.
Escape To America (American Ideal-Flirtiscape) won easily in 1:53.1 for driver Jason Bartlett and trainer Deborah Daguet for owners/breeders John Darrah and Lawrence Keethe.
Bruce’s Vo N Coke (Huntsville-Better Chill Out) won in 1:54.1 with Bartlett also in the bike for trainer John Berger and owner/breeder Joe Meany.
Printville (Huntsville-Thumbprint) scored in 1:53.3 for driver Brett Beckwith and trainer George Ducharme for owner Purple Haze Stables. John Newman bred the winner.
Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Saturday (Aug. 3) 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.
Photo of Huntingforchrome courtesy of Wendy J. Lowery.
The search process for a new president and CEO of Batavia Downs is too far along to add another board member to the search committee, said Western OTB Board President Dennis Bassett in response to an inquiry from The Batavian.
Erie County Executive Marc Poloncarz sent a letter to Bassett on Wednesday, which a Poloncarz spokesman shared with The Batavian, asking that Timonty C. Callan be added to the search committee.
Callan is Erie County's deputy comptroller and Erie County's representative on the OTB board. He has been kept apprised of open and closed sessions, which Bassett agreed, gave Callan every opportunity over the past few months to request inclusion on the board.
"I have worked hard to put together a search committee over several sessions and I feel comfortable that we have a solid process in place," Bassett said. "I have shared with the entire board and kept the board apprised of our progress. The board is the final decision maker of who we elect to be president and CEO."
He added, "I don't think at this late stage should change players or add more players to the search committee. I'm going to stay with the team that I have."
In his letter, Poloncarz suggested Callan should be appointed because Erie County is the largest weighted voting member of the OTB board.
Poloncarz also seems to indicate he doesn't have confidence in the current search committee.
"Filling such a critical role requires a serious regional and nationwide search to find a skilled, reform-minded individual who can lead OTB into the future as the organization competes against the rapid growth of online sports betting and the decline of the horse racing industry," Poloncarz wrote.
He touted Callan's background in government service but did not mention any qualifying business experience.
"Dr. Callan's expertise and experience, including as the executive director of my transition team and participation on the search committee to hire the new State University of New York at Erie Community College president, make him well suited to enhancing and professionalizing your search," Poloncarz wrote. "Not including Dr. Callan in your search process not only does a disservice to all the members of OTB, but to the taxpayers of every constituent municipality."
Bassett said he wouldn't speculate on why Poloncarz would weigh in on the composition of the search committee so late in the process.
"I really want to deal with facts and want to make sure we stay steadfast, that our process has transparency, that we go through our process and put the right candidate in front of the board and then vote on who is the most qualified individual," Bassett said.
"I took great care," he added, "to select board members who would aid this process, and I thought I did a pretty good job of that. Though he wasn't on the selection list, I respect Mr. Callan's opinion, and he will, as a large voting block of the board, have a chance with the board to decide who is the next president and CEO."
"We are looking for people who can take Western OTB to the next level," Bassett said during that interview. "Henry Wojtaszek is on the right side of the aisle, and I'm on the left side of the aisle. I have the utmost respect for Henry Wojtaszek and the way he ran this organization. We're looking for solid business people."
Bassett, a Democrat representing Monroe County on the board, has a solid business background. In 2021, he retired as the director of Customer Operations at Ortho Clinical Diagnostics in Rochester. He's held various executive-level positions at Bausch and Lomb and Eastman Kodak Company.
"I have been a part of several high-level searches of senior executives in my 51 years in corporate America and on boards outside Western OTB, and I think we are capable of conducting a national search in a very timely and effective manner," Bassett said earlier this month.
The other committee members are Mike Horton, Steuben County; Mark Burr, Cattaraugus County; Ed Morgan, Orleans County; and Elliott Winter, Niagara County.
While Batavia Down's revenue and returns paid to municipalities have grown substantially during Henry Wojtaszek's tenure as president and CEO, the period has also been striven with controversy, from questions about health care plans for OTB board members, the distribution of tickets to sporting events, and Wojtaszek's bookkeeping for a company-provided vehicle. Wojtaszek has said in numerous interviews over the years that these issues have been resolved or corrected.
At a June board meeting, the majority of board members backed a resolution to provide Wojtaszek, CFO Jackie Leach, and VP of Operations William White with severance packages. This is essentially a buyout of contracts that will terminate their employment before the previously negotiated employment contracts expire.
The lone no vote to terminate the employment contracts early came from Callan, which is a vote he has not explained and he did not respond to an email from The Batavian in June asking that he explain the vote.
Erie County Democrats have claimed the contract buyouts violate state law, but Bassett has previously explained that they are citing the wrong section of New York authorities law, and the buyouts under the enabling legislation for OTB make the buyouts legal as a standard business practice.
Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel has announced that as part of OTB’s 50th Anniversary Celebration, the corporation will be making the Tommy DeCarlo, Jason Sheff, and August Zadra concert, taking place on August 16, a show with free General Admission Tickets.
Those wishing to attend the concert can pick up their free GA ticket upon arrival at Batavia Downs inside of Park Place on Friday, August 16.
A fireworks show will also take place following the concert that evening.
Tommy DeCarlo became the lead singer of Boston in 2008 and has performed with them for 2 decades. Jason Scheff joined the band Chicago in 1985 as lead singer/songwriter/bass player and went on to perform thousands of live concerts worldwide spanning four decades during a non-stop touring and recording career with the multi-platinum band. Longtime Dennis DeYoung Band lead guitarist and singer, August Zadra, will be doing a mini set of Styx classics.
For those who already purchased tickets prior to today’s announcement, an upgrade table located outside of the Park Place room on Friday, August 16 will allow attendees to upgrade their tickets to the next section closer to the stage.
Photo of Center Attraction courtesy of Wendy J. Lowery.
After a lengthy rain delay due to a mid-summer deluge that moved through Genesee County halfway through the card, a full field of of top class mares convened in the $13,500 Distaff Handicap pacing feature that was won by Center Attraction.
A stiff tussle for front-end dominance took place off the gate between Summer Lovin (Kevin Cummings), Imprincessgemma A (Jim Morrill Jr.) and Center Attraction (Jim McNeight Jr.) with Center Attraction forging her way to the lead in a swift :27.1. From there she took control of the race with Summer Lovin securely tucked in the pocket. Center Attraction then made her way to the half in :56.3 and three-quarters in 1:25.4 without any pressure from behind. But after the girls made their way into the last turn, Summer Lovin popped the deuce and advanced towards the leader. The two mares paced side by side to the top of the stretch where Center Attraction separated herself by a neck and won in 1:55.2.
It was the 25th career win for Center Attraction ($4.60) who is owned by her trainer Robert Anderson, in partnership with Pamela Schreiber.
Jim McNeight Jr. was the top driver at the Downs on Tuesday after he scored a grand slam in the bike. Besides Center Attraction, McNeight also won with Escape The House (1:56.3, $4.80), Lunar Credit (2:00.1, $3.50) and Walk It Talk It (1:56.2, $6.10).
Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Wednesday (July 31) 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.
