Photo: Driver Drew Monti pushes Class Six into the lead to win the race.
By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs
The third time was the charm for Class Six who scored his first top-class victory in three Batavia Downs tries after he won the $8,500 Open I pace on Saturday (Aug 15).
Drew Monti pushed Class Six off the gate and to the lead where he would stay the entire mile. After getting to the half in :58.2, Under Paid (Denny Bucceri) launched a mild bid on the outside going to three-quarters, but never got close enough to contend and Class Six rimmed the final bend and headed down the lane. Iluvtomakemoney (Ray Fisher Jr.) who sat the garden spot for 7/8ths of the mile, popped the pocket and made a run, but that was futile as well and Class Six held on to win in 1:55.1.
It was the fourth win of the year for Class Six ($7.70) who is owned by Eric Prevost and trained by Sabrina Shaw.
In the $7,500 Open II pace, Western Conquest (Ray Fisher Jr.) also took advantage of the night’s front-end bias and went gate to wire with little opposition and denied the heavily favored Atlantis (Jim Morrill Jr.) at the wire in 1:57.1.
It was the second win in three starts and the fourth win of the year for Western Conquest ($17), owner Tanah Merah Farms and trainer Ryan Swift.
Several horsemen had a multiple win night led by Shawn McDonough who drove three winners while also training two of them. Billy Davis Jr. had a driving hat trick ahead of Jim Morrill Jr. and Ray Fisher Jr. who each scored two pilot victories. Trainers Ryan Swift and Jim Clouser Jr. both sent two horses to the Purple Haze winner’s enclosure.
Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Wednesday afternoon (Aug. 19) at 5 o'clock.
