Press release:
Without question, the best resident mare at Batavia Downs continued to roll as Misty Memory N won the $12,300 fillies and mares Open I Handicap on Wednesday (Sept. 29) to score her fourth win in her last five starts at the Genesee County oval.
Misty Memory N (Denny Bucceri) got away last in the scratch-shortened field of five and watched as Protect Blue Chip (Jim Morrill Jr.) took the field to the half in :57.1. When Kevin Cummings pulled Stay Beautiful at that station, Bucceri followed with Misty Memory N and shadowed her cover until the last turn. That’s where Bucceri tipped three-deep around everybody and let Misty Memory N pace home entirely on her own while opening up a 3-1/2 length lead at the wire where she won in 1:54.4.
Misty Memory N ($4.60) continues to rack up the numbers during this career year for her, now with 10 wins and $78,126 in the bank. Gaston Lareau trains for owner JP Houle Stables.
One race earlier in the $11,000 Open II for female pacers, Canadian transplant Taupeka Jessie N (Jim Morrill Jr.) was bet off the board at 1-9 and made easy work of her seven competitors after taking the front off the gate, leading at every station and pulling away to a 2-1/2 length win in 1:55.3.
Recently purchased by Vogel & Wags Nags, Team Rice Racing, and Adelphi Bloodstock, Taupeka Jessie N ($2.20) scored her third win of the year. Maria Rice is her trainer.
Morrill added wins with Mean Pauline (1:57.1, $4.80), Rocklindarock (1:58.1, $2.60) and Innocent Victim (1:56.1, $2.80) for a grand slam on the night. Kyle Cummings also had a driving hat trick while trainers Tammy Cummings and Gaston Lareau each registered two wins.
There were three carryover pools going into Wednesday night and when the dust had settled, two will still be live when racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Friday (Oct. 1).
The $5,000 guaranteed Pick-5 was hit and the combination of 6-6-5-4-5 returned $573.25 for a 50-cent bet. However on Friday in the ninth race the Jackpot Super Hi-5 has a healthy carryover of $4,069 for that bet and another small but mentionable carryover of $589 is available for the Jackpot Pick-6 in race four.
Post time for the first race Friday is 5 p.m.