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.
The two hottest pacers currently competing in the 3-year-old colts and geldings division of the New York Sire Stakes will be at Batavia Downs on Wednesday (July 31) for a head to head tilt in the first of two $57,000 divisions that highlight the stellar mid-week card.
Howlenthehills (American Ideal-Arielle Lynn) has been on a tear this year, winning seven out of his eight starts with one second as well. That lone defeat came by only one-half length in the $225,000 MGM Messenger Stake final at Yonkers Raceway last month to his stablemate, Sweet Beach Life. Other than that, he’s been a wrecking ball since April over every track surface he’s been on. He is undefeated in NYSS action this year, took a 1:50.1 lifetime mark at Vernon Downs in June and his overall efforts currently place him as the fourth richest 3-year-old male pacer in North America to date.
Boston Rocks (Boston Red Rocks-Scirocco Sarah) has started four times in NYSS action this year, winning twice and finishing second twice, with those two losses coming to Howlenthehills. His lifetime mark came in an overnight at Mohegan Sun Pocono when he paced around their red surface in 1:51.4 while pulling away by 7-1/2 lengths. He rolled that win into another devastating performance in his last start at Monticello Raceway, where he won his split of the NYSS in 1:52.3 by nine lengths in a laugher.
These two pacers have a lot in common.
Howlenthehills is the top point-getter (150) and highest earner ($101,600) in his NYSS classification while Boston Rocks is tied with him for points (150) while sitting second right behind him for earnings ($94,650)
But they also have a couple outstanding differences.
Howlenthehills was winless as a 2-year-old, including seven starts in the NYSS, and only earned $36,381. While in his first year of racing, Boston Rocks won four races, including three NYSS legs and the $225,000 final before making an appearance in the Breeders Crown final. All of which earned him $352,922.
The other major difference is Howlenthehills is a gelding while Boston Rocks is a colt. So there are two track records in jeopardy on Wednesday as a result of this match-up.
The Batavia Downs standard for a 3-year-old pacing gelding is 1:51.2 while for a 3-year-old pacing colt is 1:52.2, so this is something that bears watching.
Howlenthehills has drawn post one for trainer Travis Alexander and will tour the facility with Matt Kakaley once again in tow while Boston Rocks has post two, with his regular reinsman Jason Bartlett in the bike for trainer Mike Deters.
In the second division, Alexander will also be starting Huntingforchrome (Huntsville-All On Top Hanover) who is another horse who could stake a claim at a new track record as he comes into this start with a lot of asterisks, but also a lot of speed.
Huntingforchrome started out the year with two NYSS starts that yielded one second place finish for then trainer Jenn Bongiorno. Two weeks after that, the gelding found himself in Travis Alexander’s barn and has been a speed show on the Grand Circuit ever since.
His first start for Alexander was in the Meadowlands Pace elimination where he was race timed in 1:49.3, but he was rigged incorrectly according to Alexander in an interview after the race. With the proper changes made, Huntingforchrome then won a 3-year-old Open pace at the Meadowlands in a sparkling lifetime best 1:48.1, finished second in 1:49.1 by 1-3/4 lengths in the Adios elimination at the Meadows and then finished fourth in the Adios final by only 2-1/2 lengths while being race timed in 1:49.4. That start was only four days removed from this NYSS outing at Batavia, which is his first NYSS tilt since mid-June.
Alexander has Matt Kakaley in the bike behind Huntingforchrome and they will start from post five in this event.
His main competition appears to be Ameritric (American Ideal-Electric Fool) who is the only starter in this field with a NYSS victory this year, coming in a lifetime best 1:52.3 outing at Buffalo. Other than that, Ameritric has won three overnights and has posted the highest earnings of this group this year ($68,750).
Brett Beckwith will take the reins for trainer George Ducharme from post three.
Taranaki (Huntsville-Free Fi Girl) is as consistent as a horse can be, finishing seven out of nine starts in the money with four straight checks in the NYSS. He has gate speed and having drawn post one, will be in the mix from start to finish.
Trainer Paul Jessop has called upon local leading driver Kevin Cummings to steer this week.
The New York Sire Stake divisions will go as race seven and nine while the three $20,000 Excelsior races are carded as three, five and 11. Post time for race one is at 6 p.m.
Batavia Downs opened its 2024 summer/fall meet on Saturday night. The 3-year-old pacing filly division of the New York Sire Stakes was in town, featuring two six-horse fields that vied for $58,100 each.
The first division was won by A Few Choice Words (Courtly Choice-Top Choice Hanover), who made every station a winning one.
Jim Marohn Jr. put A Few Choice Words on the point off the gate and skated through fractions of :28.2, :57.2 and 1:25.3 before Stepabovetherest (Braxton Boyd) pulled from third and tried to advance. But the closest she would get to the leader would be second, next to the pocket-sitting Leanne’s Choice (Marcus Miller) because A Few Choice Words turned for home and paced with authority to the line where she won in 1:54.
It was the third win in a row and sixth out of the last seven for A Few Choice Words, who is owned by Clancy Farms and trained by Blake Macintosh.
Then there was an upset in the second division when She’s Epic (American Ideal-Booya Beach) shook loose and flew home late at 15-1.
Camerican (Jim Morrill Jr.) grabbed the lead from Peace Talks (Jim Marohn Jr.) just before the quarter and then tempered the pace to the half in :57.4. Camerican continued her easy lead around the third turn and up the backstretch until She’s Epic (Tyler Buter) pulled from fourth and made her way to second by three-quarters in 1:26.4. She’s Epic pulled alongside Camerican and the pace got decidedly more intense as the fillies matched strides around the final bend and into the stretch. Despite their best efforts, neither girl could get ahead until three pylons from the wire where She’s Epic lived up to her name and rode a :26.4 final panel to a one-half length victory in 1:54.
It was the third win of the year for She’s Epic ($33.40) who is owned by John Cummins and trained by Travis Alexander.
Buter got the hat trick on Saturday after winning two $20,000 Excelsior legs with Hurricaneaphrodite (1:54, $3.90) for trainer John McDermott and Tempville (1:56.1, $4.90) for trainer George Ducharme. Ducharme also trained the winner of the third Excelsior leg, Villannah (1:55.2, $13.80) driven by Jim Morrill Jr. who also had a hat trick on Saturday night.
Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Tuesday (July 30) at 6 p.m.
Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel has announced that on Friday, December 6, Marsha McWilson will return to Batavia Downs as she performs her yearly Christmas Concert.
Marsha brings a high energy show that features Christmas Classics and other favorites. She and the other performers have entertained concert goers for many years inside the Park Place Room. Doors are at 6:30 p.m. with music beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 and concert go-ers will receive $10 in Free Play.
Tickets for this event are available at www.BataviaConcerts.com. The Hotel Deal for this event is live at this time and links can be found on Facebook or https://www.bataviadownsgaming.com/hotel-deals/.
All connections of horses who will be racing at Batavia Downs this year should note that a new text line has been established to relay vital information regarding draws and racing action for the upcoming meet that will start on Saturday, July 27.
Horsemen and women can sign up for this service by texting bataviadowns at 407-536-9945.
Please note that this number has changed since the start of this service two weeks ago. If you originally subscribed at 732-363-7700, you need to re-subscribe to the new number listed.
By subscribing to this service, you will be notified immediately when there is a need to fill races or if there is any change in schedule. So all are encouraged to do so as soon as possible.
The New York Sire Stakes will make its first stop of 2024 at Batavia Downs on Saturday (July 27) night when a select group of 3-year-old pacing fillies will line up in two six-horse divisions valued at $58,100 each. This will be the fifth leg of the state series this year for these girls and they should be in prime form for some big efforts.
In the first division, Stepabovetherest (Huntsville-Step Beyond) has only made four starts this year, but one of them was a 1:52.3 win in an Excelsior leg at Tioga Downs while another was her career best, 1:49.4 victory at Vernon Downs in the NYSS, where she won by 1-1/2 lengths. She then missed three weeks before her next start, which was a fourth place finish in the NYSS at Saratoga Raceway. She may have been short with the extra time off and could get back to her regular form here.
Stepabovetherest has drawn post three for trainer Nicholas Devita who has regular driver Braxton Boyd aboard for this race.
A Few Choice Words (Courtly Choice-Top Choice Hanover) was a perfect four-for-four in Excelsior action earlier this year, including her lifetime mark of 1:51.4 at Vernon Downs, before moving up to the NYSS in her last start at Saratoga where she won again in 1:54.1. This week she drew a favorable inside post and looks to get win number six of the year.
Moving inside for the first time in three weeks, Jim Marohn Jr. will be in the bike again and begins from post two for trainer Blake Macintosh.
Leanne’s Choice (Courtly Choice-Village Madonna) was winless in three NYSS starts before dropping down to Excelsior action where she got her first win of 2024. She bumped back up to the NYSS level in her last start and put in a brilliant effort, finishing third in a 1:53.2 mile at Saratoga. With the pylon position here, She is definitely a player.
Erv Miller has Marcus Miller between the wheels once again from post one.
In the second split, Peace Talks (American Ideal-Triple V Hanover) is the top money earner for this age and gender in the NYSS so far this year with two wins and four second place finishes in six 2024 starts. One of those wins was a 1:50.4 lifetime best win at Tioga Downs in June. Peace Talks, who was the NYSS 2-year-old filly pacing champion, has come back very strong this year and is looking to defend her title. Early indications are she has a very good shot at doing that.
Starting from mid-pack post four, Jim Marohn Jr. will be up behind the filly for the first time this year for trainer Chris Ryder.
Camerican (American Ideal-Camille) comes into this event on a two race win streak that includes a victory in the $90,000 Park MGM filly pace final and a seasonal mark of 1:53.2 at Saratoga. Last year, Camerican was a multiple NYSS winner who finished third in that final along with a third place finish in the Breeders Crown behind winner My Girl EJ. She also took her lifetime mark of 1:50.2 during her first year of racing when she won the International Stallion Stake at the Red Mile. Camerican has already been race timed faster this year in a 1:50.1 mile at Vernon Downs three starts ago where she finished third.
Trainer Ron Burke has assigned Jim Morrill Jr. duty at the lines for this outing and they will start from post six.
The NYSS races will go as races eight and 10. There are also three $20,000 Excelsior races on the card and they are programmed as races five, six and 11.
Post time for the first race on the season opening card at Batavia Downs is 6 p.m.
Live harness racing returns to Batavia Downs on Saturday (July 27) as the 2024 summer/fall season gets underway with a full 15-race card that starts at 6 p.m. The season runs through Saturday (Dec. 7) and features a 56-day meet.
The opening night card includes the first visit of the year from the New York Sire Stakes as the 3-year-old pacing fillies will be on hand to compete in two $58,100 divisions. There will also be three Excelsior races going for $20,000 each, bringing the total stake purses available that night to $176,200.
The live schedule changes several times throughout the year. It starts out with a Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday schedule through August 17. Then it switches to Wednesday, Friday, Saturday through November 23 with the exception of Friday (Sept. 6) which will be dark due to the special Monday (Sept. 2) Labor Day matinee card starting at 1:15 p.m. The final two weeks of the meet cut back to Wednesday, Saturday. Post time for all race days -- with the exception of the Labor Day matinee -- will be at 6 p.m.
Once again, there is a hearty slate of New York Sire Stake action. The state-bred series will be in action on Saturday (July 27-$103,000 3-year-old filly pace), Wednesday (July 31-$103,000 3-year-old colt pace), Wednesday (Aug. 7-$93,000 2-year-old colt pace), Wednesday (Aug. 14-$93,000 2-year-old filly pace), Wednesday (Aug. 21-$93,000 2-year-old colt trot), Saturday (Aug. 24$103,000 3-year-old colt trot and $103,000 3-year-old filly trot) and Wednesday (Aug. 28-$93,000 2-year-old filly trot).
Also on that NYSS double-header 3-year-old colt and filly trotting card on Saturday (Aug. 24) will be the Down’s signature event, the Robert J. Kane Memorial Invitational pace that will go for $100,000 this year. Free Kane Pace T-shirts will be given away on that night.
Don Hoover, Director of Live Racing at Batavia Downs, looks to build on the record wagering that the track realized earlier this year.
“I am looking forward to the upcoming meet, anticipating that the momentum from the highly successful winter meet will continue for the remainder of this year. We set several betting records during our early year meet and hopefully we can keep that going during this session,” said Hoover.
Looking to drive that momentum is Tom Agosti, who recently joined the staff at Batavia Downs as the new race secretary. He will be responsible for putting together the competitive fields that will be featured throughout the year.
Agosti has established a new text line to relay vital information regarding draws and racing information for the upcoming meet. Horsemen and women can sign up for this service by texting bataviadowns to 732.363.7700. Subscribing to this service will be advantageous to all when it comes to filling races or having immediate knowledge of any changes in schedule. All are encouraged to do so as soon as possible.
Bettors will have plenty of opportunities with a wagering menu that includes three Doubles, 10 Exactas, 10 Trifectas, nine Superfectas, two Pick-3’s, two Pick-4’s, one Pick-5 and one Jackpot Super High Five available on every 10-race card.
All the top drivers will be back including last year’s top five leaders Jim Morrill Jr., Kevin Cummings, Dave McNeight III, Kyle Cummings and James McNeight Jr.
Leading trainers Sam Smith, Shawn McDonough, Dave Russo, Tammy Cummings, James Rothfuss and Ryan Swift will also be back along with a host of others.
The clubhouse will be open for all race dates and offer a varied menu. Every Friday and Saturday will feature a buffet while the other race nights have a menu provided by the Center Street Smokehouse. The Railbar will always be open for live racing.
Patrons will also have plenty of promotions to look forward to throughout the year.
On opening night there will be free programs in the grandstand and the Lotta Cash Giveaway, where customers can deposit non-winning tickets wagered on Batavia Downs races for a chance to win two $250 betting vouchers and a Batavia Downs Gaming Play and Stay package that includes one night’s stay at the Batavia Downs Gaming Hotel, $25 in gaming Free Play and a $50 dinner certificate to Fortune’s.
The Play and Stay promotion will also be held every Wednesday during the meet where customers can deposit non-winning tickets wagered on Batavia Downs races for a chance to win a Batavia Downs Gaming Play and Stay package that was previously described.
Also on Wednesday is the Finale Frenzy promotion where you get $25 gaming Free Play when you wager $25 on the last race at Batavia Downs.
And there is also the Early Bird Daily Double, where you receive $10 in gaming Free Play when you wager at least $10 at the same time on the Early Daily Double.
Plus every live racing program includes a $5 gaming Free Play coupon.
All promotions require participants be Players Club members and gaming Free Play is subject to required base points being earned before redemption. Full rules are available in the program and online.
You can watch all the live racing action for free on the Batavia Downs YouTube channel and free, full past performance programs for every live race night will be available on the Batavia Downs website (bataviadownsgaming.com) under the live racing tab.
Officials from Batavia Downs Gaming and Hotel announced that Saturday, October 26 will be the first Roswell Park Night at the Races in the Historic Batavia Downs Clubhouse.
The event will begin at 5 p.m. with the live racing meet starting at 6pm. A $50 ticket includes a buffet dinner, $25 in Free Play, and a racing program. In addition, there will be a silent auction with donated items, including various prize baskets, tickets to local sporting and music events alongside autographed sports memorabilia. Proceeds from the evening will support cancer research and patient care initiatives at Roswell Park. Tickets can be purchased at www.bataviaconcerts.com.
A full card of harness racing highlights the evening, beginning at 6 p.m. Race sponsorship opportunities are available and interested parties can contact Barb O’Rourke at 716-998-2179.
“We know how important the work is that Roswell Park does in our community,” said Henry Wojtaszek, President and CEO of Batavia Downs. “We are honored to host this event that will help raise awareness and provide funds for their mission.”
“Roswell Park is thrilled to be the Live Racing Series Sponsor for the 2024-2025 season at Batavia Downs. Batavia Downs, their board and staff have shown a deep level of commitment by organizing and hosting a variety of events throughout the season where a portion of the proceeds support the incredible work we are doing at Roswell Park. We are immensely grateful,” said Jenn Hickok, Roswell Park’s Director of Corporate and Sports Partnerships.
Photo of the Bacon Brothers, by Jacob Blinkenstaff.
Next year will mark 30 years since Kevin and Michael Bacon first performed as the Bacon Brothers. And as they approach that milestone, with a new album, “Ballad of the Brothers,” having been released and a tour cycle just starting, the brothers admit they never envisioned this musical venture would last three decades or produce as much music as it has.
“For me I don't know, I didn't really have a grand plan in the same way that I did for my acting, you know what I mean?” said Kevin Bacon -- yes, the A-list actor known for roles in such hit movies as “Footloose,” “Mystic River” and “A Few Good Men -- in a late-June phone interview.
“It was kind of like, well, let's do this show and then that show turned into another show. Of course, I would love to have success and a hit record and that would be really fun,” he said. “But it's really been more kind of driven by oh, we wrote this song. You want to play it for somebody. Oh yeah, we want go in the studio. We played it for somebody. It feels like it's getting good. Let's go in. Let's record it, you know, and put out the record. Getting something played widely has always been sort of elusive, you know. So it's hard to say is it where I envisioned it because I didn't really have that much of a wider vision for it.”
Kevin Bacon’s answer makes sense considering the idea of being the Bacon Brothers literally did start in the most modest of ways. The brothers had played music together since childhood without ever planning to do music together professionally. That began to change in 1995 when a long-time friend in the brothers’ hometown of Philadelphia who heard Kevin and Michael play offered to book them for a one-off gig at the local venue.
The show went well and word got out about the brothers -- who each had successful careers underway, with Kevin, of course, as an actor, and Michael as a songwriter, solo artist, and Emmy-winning writer of scores for film and other projects. More offers to play shows came in and eventually the bothers decided to continue writing music and performing as the Bacon Brothers.
Their first album, “Forosoco,” arrived in 1997, its title an acronym for the styles of music their songs encompassed -- folk, rock, soul and country. They’ve gone on to release nine more albums since then, while building an audience that now enables them to play large clubs and theaters across America.
Joining his brother for the interview, Michael Bacon said a few factors have helped give the Bacon Brothers the longevity they have enjoyed, including contrasting their genre-evading sound, contrasts in their writing style (he said Kevin Bacon is more groove driven, while he’s melody focused) and a shared focus on writing good songs, as opposed to emphasizing solos or other elements of the music.
“Both of us are always in pursuit of writing a great song,” he said. “We're not in pursuit of shredding (on guitar), you know. or of more octave range or whatever that happens to be…We have different ideas about music, but we both love songs yeah well that's kind of the thing you've always kept at the core.”
Like their previous releases, the new album is plenty diverse. Its range spans stripped-back folk-centric material (“Dreams of the San Joaquin,”), cello-laced pop balladry (“Airport Bar”), a country-flecked examination of aging (“Old Bronco”), a bouncy pop tune (“Put Your Hand Up”), a full-bodied mid-tempo tune that splits the difference between rock and folk (“Losing The Night”) and the bluesy standout (“Live With The Lie”). And that’s not mentioning the album’s boldest song, “Take Off This Tattoo,” which gets some EDM touches via the production from Kevin Bacon’s son Travis, while a stinging violin solo that further energizes the song. Overall “Ballad of the Brothers” isn’t soft, and in fact is a bit more robust than the brothers’ other albums.
With the Bacon Brothers starting to tour in support of their new album, fans will see the brothers front what they feel is a first-rate band with three additional musicians. They plan to include a healthy number of new songs in the show.
“We like to interject new stuff,” Michael Bacon said. “After a while, you play a song for so long it's just sort of, it's rote. Whereas if we throw a new song in, you know, we don't have a ton of time to practice and the guys in our band are just, you can throw something at them at sound check and they'll play it perfectly that night. So that's a big advantage. And it's fun to put new songs in. You don't really understand how to do a song until you play it live. You learn an awful lot from the audience by doing that.”
The Bacon Brothers will be performing at Batavia Downs on Friday, July 26.
Two events helped lay the foundation that led to Anthony Fernandez creating “Peace Frog,” a Doors tribute band.
And, both happened when Fernandez was 11 years old.
First came his viewing of “Apocalypse Now,” the Francis Ford Coppola-directed Vietnam-era movie that used the Doors “The End” in key scenes. The song became a lifelong hook for Fernandez, now 56.
Then he read Danny Sugarman and Jerry Hopkins’ best-selling Jim Morrison biography “No One Here Gets Out Alive’ about the life and times of the Doors’ lead singer.
Taken together, they became a seminal moment for Fernandez.
"It was the first book (‘No One Here Gets Out Alive’) that I read cover-to-cover,” Fernandez said.
Since 1998, Fernandez has led Peace Frog, a Doors tribute band, that will be playing July 19 at Batavia Downs as part of its summer concert series. Fernandez, like Morrison, is the lead singer.
“It is just part of my personal relationship I’ve had with Jim Morrison and the Doors since I was 11,” Fernandez said.
Peace Frog is considered one of the top Doors’ tribute bands. Like the Doors, the four-piece band includes Fernandez on vocals, Brad Watson on keyboards, Tyler Thigpen on guitar and Adam Thompson on drums.
The band has a deep following, having played in 30 states plus Mexico, Australia, Canada and Greece.
The set list, which varies from show to show, includes hits and well-known songs as well as lesser played Doors’ tunes.
Yes, “Riders on the Storm” and “Light My Fire” will be played but so will others like the “Alabama Song” or “Tell All the People.”
“On stage, I channel what I call the intellectual Jim Morrison, not the destructive one,” Fernandez said. “I’ve done every song by the Doors that’s out there."
As for Fernandez himself, he has played and sung with former Doors members guitarist Robbie Krieger and the late keyboardist Ray Manzarek
Fernandez began his singing career with attending the University of Hawaii, where he started out singing in cover bands. When he returned to Los Angeles - his hometown - in 1996, Fernandez continued singing in local bands before a friend said he sounded like Morrison and maybe he should front a Doors cover band. Thus, Peace Frog was born.
A key moment came with a weekly booking at the Venice (Beach) Bistro that turned into a 12-year gig every Sunday night. Their run began in 1998.
“That’s what really cemented the band,” Fernandez said.
From there, out-of-town and out-of-country bookings followed.
The bookings are sandwiched between Fernandez’ “day job”, serving as political science and Chicano studies professor at Pierce College in Los Angeles.
“It does keep me busy and current,” Fernandez said.
Tickets are on sale through www.bataviaconcerts.com.
Peace Frog performs Friday, July 19 at Batavia Downs.
Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel has announced that as part of a Guest Appreciation Celebration, Batavia Downs is now making the Peace Frog – Doors Tribute Concert, taking place this Friday, July 19, a free show.
Those wishing to attend the concert can pick up their free GA ticket upon arrival at Batavia Downs inside of Park Place on Friday.
For those who already purchased tickets, they can visit the upgrade table located outside of the Park Place room on Friday, July 19 and have their tickets upgraded to the next section closer to the stage.
April Wine headlined the Rockin' the Downs concert series on Friday. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Canadian rock band April Wine headlined a packed crowd in the Friday night summer concert series at Batavia Downs Casino on Friday evening.
Members formed the band in 1969, based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. From its inception, the band was led by singer-guitarist-songwriter Myles Goodwyn, who died in 2023. Brian Greenway now fronts the band.
On Record, an album released in 1972, reached the Top 40 in Canada and yielded two hit singles: a cover of Elton John's "Bad Side of the Moon” and a cover of Hot Chocolates' “You Could Have Been a Lady.”
Currently on a US and Canadian tour through the summer, you can find more details on their website www.aprilwine.ca
