Batavia Downs

By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

Hickfromfrenchlick came to play on Sunday (Aug. 4) in his $58,700 division of the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) for 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings at Batavia Downs and he went gate to wire in impressive fashion and equaled the track record time. 

Leaving from post one driver Matt Kakaley was rolling immediately with Hickfromfrenchlick (So Surreal-My Girl’s A Star) and had prohibitive post time favorite Shake That House (Tyler Buter) alongside, also trying to make the front. These two tangled to the quarter in :26.2 when Buter relented and ducked into the pocket heading into the second turn. With no pressure moving to the half Kakaley backed it down to :28.3, but as soon as the second circuit ensued, Shake That House pulled and came right back at the leader one more time. 

Hickfromfrenchlick and Shake That House squared off and were pacing in tandem from the five-eighths to the three-quarters and got there in a lightning 1:22.4. Around the final bend Hickfromfrenchlick got a 1/2 length advantage that he took into the stretch. Kakaley was throwing lines and his horse was responded with more. Hickfromfrenchlick put away Shake That House and held of a quick closing Buddy Hill (Marcus Miller) to win by a neck in 1:51.2. 

The winning time of 1:51.2 was a new lifetime mark for Hickfromfrenchlick and also tied the Batavia Downs track record for 3-year-old pacing colts set by All Bets Off back in 2014. Oddly enough Kakaley also drove All Bets Off in that record performance. 

“Well we had the rail and he’s good on the front so that’s where I wanted him, especially with no passing lane here. We controlled the pace and he responded well to the challenge,” said Kakaley. “He was getting a little tired in the lane but he saw the one (Buddy Hill) coming at him and had enough left to hold him off at the wire.”  

When told he tied the track record of All Bets Off Kakaley said “As I recall we were on the front that day too and he had quite a bit left at the wire.”

All Bets Off ran away with that race by eight lengths. 

Hickfromfrenchlick ($6.50) scored his fourth win in seven starts this year and now has $114,925 on the card in 2019. Ray Schnittker trains and co-owns Hickfromfrenchlick with Nolamaura Racing and Thomas Spatorico. 

Steve Jones was the breeder of Hickfromfrenchlick. 

In the second $58,700 division American Mercury was peerless in victory after controlling all fractions from the start. 

Tyler Buter floated American Mercury (American Ideal-Tessa Hanover) off the gate after Artie’s Ideal (Marcus Miller) bolted to the front. He then rolled up the outside and took over the lead in a comfortable :28.1. The field stayed in single-file and American Mercury hit the half in only :57 and things were looking very much in his favor at that point. 

Magic Joe Lindy (Drew Monti) pulled first up at the five-eighths and advanced towards the leader. He got to within one length of American Mercury at the three-quarters and stayed there around the last turn. When they hit the stretch Buter was line driving American Mercury and he was pacing strongly all the way to the wire to win by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:52.2.

It was the third straight win for American Mercury ($2.10) and sixth of the season. The gelding has now earned $211,843 this year for owners Crawford Farms Racing, Northfork Racing Stable, Chuck Pompey and Scott Bice. 

Steve Stewart, Julie Nash and Charles Nash bred American Mercury. 

There were also $15,000 divisions of the Excelsior “A” series that were won by:

Rickybobbyandthehaus (American Ideal-Molly Can Do It)

Driver -- Tyler Buter

Owner -- Crawford Farms, Northfork Racing Stable, Billy Timmins and Anthony Timmins

Trainer -- Chris Oakes

Breeder -- Blue Chip Bloodstock

Time -- 1:53.4 

Mutuel -- $4.40

Chatelroll (Roll With Joe-Chatelaine) 

Driver -- Jason Bartlett 

Owner -- Purple Haze Stable

Trainer -- George Ducharme

Breeder -- Twinbrook Limited

Time -- 1:53.2 

Mutuel -- $3

Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Monday (Aug. 5) with post time at 5 p.m.

By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

Saratoga Raceway regular Hudson Phil traveled four hours west on the I-90 for his first-ever start at Batavia Downs and the trip was worth his while. He won the $12,500 Open Handicap pace in gate to wire fashion at the Downs on Saturday night (Aug. 3). 

Hudson Phil (Jim Morrill Jr.) flew off the wings and took command with Lucan Hanover (Billy Davis Jr.) drafting close behind. After going to the quarter in :27.2, Morrill grabbed leather and backed the second panel off to a meager :29 as the rest of the field finally caught up. As they started on the second circuit Upfront Countryboy (Drew Monti) pulled first up on the outside to pass the gapped Adonis Bay (John Cummings Jr.) and then dropped back into third to save ground. 

The race moved into the last turn and Monti pulled Upfront Countryboy out again and aggressively started driving him as they headed into the stretch. Hudson Phil was still in command but Upfront Countryboy was closing with every step. Lucan Hanover, who had been following the leader the entire mile, was now full of pace but had nowhere to go and was locked on the pylons. Hudson Phil stayed strong on the point and held off all challenges to win by a neck in 1:53.3. 

Hudson Phil ($2.30) has now earned $86,832 for owner Kellogg Racing Stables on the strength of his eight 2019 wins. Jackie Greene trains the 4-year-old son of Shanghai Phil-Hazel. 

The $11,000 Open II was a very entertaining race. Cultural Paradise (Kyle Cummings) was cruising along smartly on the lead at the half in a moderate split of :56.1, before taking the race to the head of the stretch looking like a winner. But Iammbrightside N (Dave McNeight Jr.), who had been drafting on the outside for a half mile, pulled three-wide at the three-quarters and was under a full head of steam. Cultural Paradise and Iammbrightside N battled side by side all the way to the wire where Iammbrightside N got the advantage by a neck in 1:53.3. 

It was the 33rd lifetime win for Iammbrightside N ($12.20) who is owned by Mirussa Russo and trained by Dave Russo. 

Several horsemen had multiple winners on Saturday night. Jim Morrill Jr., Dave McNeight III and Billy Davis Jr. all had three winners on the evening while trainer Dave Russo also sent two horses to the Purple Haze winner’s circle. 

The New York Sire Stakes glamour division; the 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings will invade Batavia Downs on today (Aug. 4) when live racing resumes to vie for $117,400 in total purses. Post time for the first race is 1:15 p.m.

(Above: #4 -- Shake That House with driver Brian Sears. Photo by Fotowon.)

By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

It will be a homecoming of sorts for Akron, New York, native Chris Oakes when he brings two powerful members of his now Wilkes-Barre, Pa., based stable to Batavia Downs on Sunday (Aug. 4) to compete in two divisions of the New York Sires Stakes (NYSS) for purses totaling $117,400. 

In the first $58,700 division (carded as race one) Oakes will start Shake That House (American Ideal-Shake That Junk) as the morning line 6-5 favorite. 

Shake That House only has two starts in the NYSS this year and both were wins, but he has also been competing successfully on the Grand Circuit. 

After drawing the outside at Mohawk Park in an elimination of the North American Cup, Shake That House got parked for most of the mile and did not qualify for the final. 

But the resilient colt bounced back to win his next start which was an elimination of the Max C. Hempt stake at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono. After taking the lead past the half, Shake That House led the rest of the way and won in 1:49, which was a lifetime mark. The following week in the $500,000 final he left from post seven, went right to the front and won handily in 1:49.2. 

Then in his most recent start, Shake That House was in a NYSS event at Vernon Downs and sat third to the half before pulling to take the lead before the three-quarters and then paced away from the field in 1:47.4 which was another new lifetime mark for him and also a new track record at Vernon for 3-year-old pacing colts. 

For the year Shake That House has six wins in seven starts and has earned $336,400 to date. 

Tyler Buter will be in the bike behind Shake That House on Sunday and will start from post five. Also, Shake That House will be coupled in a stable entry with Buddy Hill (Roll With Joe-Lessofit Hanover) for betting purposes. 

Hickfromfrenchlick (So Surreal-My Girl’s A Star) and Major March (Art Major-March You And Me) who finished second and third in that track record mile at Vernon are also in this division starting from post one with Matt Kakaley and post two with Jason Bartlett respectively.

(Above, #6 -- American Mercury with Tyler Buter. Photo by Fotowon​.)

The second $58,700 split (carded as race six) finds another Oakes trainee, American Mercury (American Ideal-Tessa Hanover), the prohibitive morning line choice at 4-5. 

American Mercury has raced exclusively in NYSS races this year and has won four of the six he entered, finishing second and third in the other two. He started the year racing from off the pace but has since found as much success on the front end. 

He took a new lifetime mark at Yonkers in June winning easily in 1:50.3 over the half-mile strip and it set a track record for 3-year-old pacing geldings and also tied the all-age seasons mark at the Hilltop. 

In his next start at Vernon Downs American Mercury lowered his personal best again, touring the facility in 1:49.4 and winning by two lengths. 

American Mercury has five wins in seven starts this year and has bankrolled $182,493 as a result. 

Tyler Buter gets the call on American Mercury as well and drawing post two off the gate. 

Magic Joe Lindy (American Ideal-Lindy’s Bandita) who finished third to American Mercury in that sub-1:50 mile at Vernon should be his main competitor here and starts from post five with Drew Monti up.   

The track record for the 3-year-old pacing male division at Batavian a Downs is 1:51.2 and that mark is serious jeopardy with perfect weather being forecast for Sunday. 

Also at Batavia Downs for the matinee card is Dollar Sundays which continues this week. Sahlen’s Hot Dogs, draft beer and sodas are only $1 each from noon until the last race at the Homestretch Grille. 

Post time for the first race Sunday is 1:15 p.m.

Above, Miss Mary Mach and driver Jim Morrill Jr.

By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

It was a total team effort in the top tier races at Batavia Downs on Wednesday (July 31) as horses trained by Jim Clouser Jr., driven by Jim Morrill Jr. and owned by Burke Racing and Weaver Bruscemi won both fillies and mares Opens in coast to coast fashion.  

It’s been nine weeks since Miss Mary Mach cut the mile in a race, but it finally happened again and produced the same result. Miss Mary Mach beat the best mares on the grounds in the $12,500 distaff Open Handicap. 

Leaving from post one Miss Mary Mach seated the field and Morrill set a pace that was comfortable for his mare. They went to the quarter in :27.2 and the half in :56.3 where Heaven’s Diva (Kyle Cummings) drew near the leader and made it interesting to three-quarters in 1:24.4. But shortly after that station Miss Mary Mach dug in, put away the competition around the last turn and paced away down the lane to win handily in 1:53.1.

The time was a new seasonal mark and just 1/5^th of a second of her lifetime mark. 

It was the ninth win in 25 starts this year for Miss Mary Mach ($3.60) who now has earned $65,262 in 2019.

(Above, Blue Bell Bonnie and driver Jim Morrill Jr.)

Then in the $11,000 fillies and mares Open II pace, the second half of Clouser’s alliteration entry was Blue Bell Bonnie who also left from post one and dictated the pace. 

Morrill found himself on the point with Blue Bell Bonnie before the turn and with no one mounting a challenge to the half, the leader backed it off to a very pedestrian :59.2 first half. Finally Mach’s Echo (Drew Monti) rolled up the rim and got close to the front runner at the five-eighths pole and forced a :28.2 third split. But Morrill leaned back and raised the lines a bit and the mare did the rest herself. Blue Bell Bonnie paced away with no urging down the lane to win by a length in 1:56. 

Blue Bell Bonnie ($3.60) scored her fourth win of the year in Wednesday's effort. 

Both Morrill and Clouser picked up one additional win during the card giving them each three to lead their respective categories for the night. 

Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Saturday (Aug. 3) with post time at 6 p.m.  

By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

As three $34,866 divisions of 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings went postward in the New York Sires Stakes (NYSS) at Batavia Downs on Sunday (July 28) with Groovy Joe putting in the fastest performance of the day allowing him to remain undefeated.

Sandy’s Bolt (Jim Morrill Jr.) started from post one and led the majority of the race with Groovy Joe (Matt Kakaley) (above) sitting in the garden spot. Morrill set quarters of :28.1, :58.1 and 1:26.3 and took his  lead into the stretch. But Groovy Joe (Roll With Joe-Chotat Milk) popped the pocket and went right by Sandy’s Bolt and then held off a late charging American Rebel (Tyler Buter) at the wire to win by a neck in 1:55, which was a new lifetime mark. 

It was the fifth straight win for Groovy Joe ($3.10), all in NYSS action, and it took him to $96,795 for the year. Hutt Racing and Blake McIntosh own the colt with MacIntosh also doing the training. 

Winbak Farm bred Groovy Joe. 

The other two divisions ended up being the Ray Schnittker Show as they were both won by his trainees in career best outings. 

First, Cigars And Port (above) (So Surreal-Sweet On Art) grabbed the lead before the half and put in a strong effort from there. After getting to three-quarters in front by 1-½, Cigars And Port turned for home and opened up even more, eventually winning by three in 1:55.3, which was a new lifetime mark. 

Schnittker drove Cigars And Port ($7.50) and owns in conjunction with Nolamaura Racing, Ted Gewertz and Steve Arnold.

Steve Jones bred the Cigars And Port.

In the last division Teton Sunset (above) (American Ideal-Gray Ghost) sat a perfect trip behind Oreo Dream Xtreme (Jason Bartlett) who cut the mile and Level Up (Jim Morrill Jr.) who pushed the pace from outside from the half before finding racing room in the stretch to pull away from both of them and win by a 3-½ length margin in 1:57.1, The time was also a new lifetime mark. 

Teton Sunset ($7.40) was driven by Tyler Buter for trainer/owner Schnittker and his partners David Pepin and Flintlock Farms.

The ownership trio bred the winner. 

There were also three divisions of the $15,000 Excelsior “A” series on the card that were won by:

Sunsetboozecruise (Roll With Joe -- Rideintothesunset) 

Driver -- Jim Morrill Jr.

Owner -- Matthew Dugan

Trainer -- Erv Miller

Breeder -- Kentuckiana Farms

Time -- 1:57.4 

Mutuel -- $2.10

I Rolled The Dice (Roll With Joe-Keystone Ivy)

Driver -- Jim Morrill Jr.

Owner -- Howard Taylor

Trainer -- Erv Miller

Breeder -- Howard Taylor

Time -- 1:57.1

Mutuel -- $8.90

Breakout Session (Heston Blue Chip-Troubled Escape) 

Driver-Scott Zeron

Owner-Bay Pond Racing Stable

Trainer-Linda Toscano

Breeder-Winbak Farms

Time-1:58.1

Mutuel-$14.20

Racing resumes at Batavia Downs today (July 29) with post time at 5 p.m.

By Tim Bojarski, For Batavia Downs

A craftily rated second quarter provided success at the end of the mile for Black Is Back who went gate to wire in the $12,500 Open Handicap pace at Batavia Downs on Saturday evening (July 27). 

Dave McNeight III sent Black Is Back to the point off the gate and took the six-horse field to the quarter in :28. He then grabbed leather and backed the second panel off to :29.3 and essentially won the race as a result. 

Mac’s Jackpot (Drew Monti), who became forwardly placed third from post six at the start, pulled first-over at the half and proceeded with urgency toward the leader on the backstretch. He continued to gain ground on Black Is Back and got to within a half-length of him in the last turn. But that was as close as he would get as McNeight shook the lines and Black Is Back accelerated into the stretch and pulled away by 1-1/2 lengths at the wire in 1:53.3.

A former Saratoga regular, Black Is Back ($12.80) now feels at home in Western New York after scoring his first win at Batavia and sixth win of the year for owners Curtis Edholm and Mihajlo Zdjelar Sr.. Mihajlo Zdjelar Jr. trains the winner. 

In the co-featured $11,000 Open II, Upfront Countryboy (Drew Monti) took the lead from Iammrbrightside N (Jim Morrill Jr.) before the quarter and then hit that station in :28 flat. From there he proceeded unchallenged to the half in :57.2 and three-quarters in 1:25.1 before turning for home and pacing to the wire under minimal urging to win in by two in 1:53.3. 

It was the 59th lifetime win for Upfront Countryboy ($2.40) and it pushed his career earnings over the half-million dollar mark to $505,145. WIlliam Emmons owns the esteemed 10-year-old gelded son of Dragon Again-Cambloid that is trained by Jim Clouser Jr.

Drew Monti won a total of three races on the card to lead all drivers on Saturday. Kevin Cummings, Shawn McDonough and Jim McNeight Jr. all had two wins apiece. Jim Clouser Jr. also had a double to lead all trainers for the night. 

Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Sunday (July 28) with post time at 1:15 p.m, Three divisions of the New York Sire Stakes for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings will compete for a total purse of $104,598 during the afternoon.

By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

A total of $104,598 in purses will be up for grabs at Batavia Downs on Sunday (July 29) when the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) rolls into town for the second of nine 2019 stops at the oldest lighted race track in America. 

This leg will feature the 2-year-old colt and gelding pacers who will vie in three $34,866 divisions carded as race three, five and seven. 

In the third race the undefeated Groovy Joe (Roll With Joe-Chotat Milk) puts his four-race win streak on the line against a truly loaded field. 

Groovy Joe had been having his way with the competition and posted a lifetime mark of 1:54.3 at Buffalo. However last week although he still won, it was in a dead heat at Saratoga with American Rebel with Freedom Warrior just a half length behind in third. But he gets another start on a half, which he obviously handles well, and catches a short field, too. 

Matt Kakaley is driving again for trainer Blake MacIntosh and will leave from post five at 9-5.

It would seem his closest competitor will be the horse he dead-heated with last week, American Rebel (American Ideal-Restive Hanover). 

After winning an elimination of the L. B. Sheppard at Yonkers on July 6, American Rebel finished a close fifth in the $120,250 final and then posted a lifetime best at Saratoga of 1:55 the following week (in the dead heat with Groovy Joe). This one is certainly in top form and will look to make some noise here. 

American Rebel will be driven by Tyler Buter from post three for trainer Rob Harmon. 

The fifth race has Ray Schnittker’s Cigars And Port (So Surreal-Sweet On Art) listed as the morning line choice at 2-1. 

After winning his first lifetime start in 1:56.3 in a NYSS event at Yonkers, Cigars And Port got parked half the mile the following week and finished fifth. In his last start he tripped-out behind Hurrikanekingjames but couldn’t catch him in the lane. 

Schnittker will be in the bike this week and leaves from post five. 

Roll With JR (Roll With Joe-No One Is Alone) is winless in the NYSS this year but did just post a solid 1:54.3 career best effort in an overnight event at Harrah’s Philadelphia in his last start. Now back in the series, he looks like he’s ready to move forward. 

Kevin Cummings drives for trainer Jeff Cullipher and is 3-1 early line. 

Hurrikanekingjames (So Surreal-Luxury Goods) looked much the best going gate to wire at Saratoga in 1:55.1, beating Cigars And Port by 2-1/2 lengths. That was from post one; he drew post six here. 

Daniel Dube drives for trainer John Mc Dermott. 

The third division in race seven is a very close event. Oreo Dream Xtreme (American Ideal-Spotlight On) is the 2-1 choice and is one of only two horses in the race with a win. He got that in NYSS action at Buffalo and hasn’t missed a check in the series yet. 

Level Up (Art Major-Apogee Hanover) got away poorly at Saratoga last week but rallied well to close sharply, just running out of stretch to finish second. He did not draw inside but it is a short field. 

Jason Bartlett drives Oreo Dream Xtreme from post three for trainer John Butenschoen and Jim Morrill Jr. drives Level Up for trainer Ed Hart from post five. 

There are also three $15,000 divisions of the Excelsior “A” series that are carded as races one, six and eight. Post time for the first race is 1:15 p.m.

By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

Two divisions of the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) for 2-year-old trotting fillies visited Batavia Downs on opening night to vie for a total of $106,000 in total purses.

In the first division Love A Good Story (Chapter Seven-Celebrity Lovin) (top photo) stayed perfect lifetime after she scored her fourth consecutive win, all in NYSS action.

Driver Andy Miller floated Love A Good Story off the gate and got to the front before the quarter in at quick :28.4. From there she trotted along on her own terms, setting stops at the next two stations at :58.2 and 1:30.1. Moving around the last turn Miss Jubilation (Ake Svanstedt) and Munster (Jordan Stratton) moved close to the leader and appeared to have a shot to catch her. But Love A Good Story found another gear and trotted away under a line drive from Miller and won easily by four lengths in 1:59.2.

Love A Good Story ($2.50) has now earned $79,100 for the season for owners Pinske Staale and the Kentuckiana Racing Stable. Julie Miller does the training. Celebrity Farms was the breeder.

The second split of the night saw Seventimesalady (Chapter Seven-Ava Marion) (above photo) draw off to a convincing first lifetime win.

Really Blue Chip (Anthony McDonald) took the lead from the pylon starting Seventimesalady (Ake Svanstedt) and opened up a two length gap on the field at the quarter in :29.3. Svanstedt followed that cover to the half but then pulled off the clubhouse turn and motored his way to the front up the backside, clearing past three-quarters. From there the filly left her competition behind, pulling away down the lane and winning by almost five lengths in 1:59,3, which was a new lifetime mark. 

Seventimesalady ($3.20) is owned by Ake Svanstedt, Little E and Knuttson Trotting. Svanstedt trains the winner. Little E bred the winner.

There were also three divisions of the $15,000 Excelsior “A” series on the card that were won by:

Nasty Gal (Conway Hall-Dreama Littledream)

Owner -- Deborah Brunet and Patricia Crawford

Trainer -- Gates Brunet

Breeder -- Joseph Brunet and Patricia Crawford

Time -- 2:00.4 

Mutuel -- $14.80

Starrystarrynight (Conway Hall-Makes Me Crazy)

Owner -- W. J. Donovan

Trainer -- George Ducharme

Breeder -- David Hanson

Time -- 2:02.2

Mutuel -- $19

Smooth Affair (Conway Hall-Identity Theft)

Owner -- Northfork Racing Stable

Trainer -- Chris Oakes

Breeder -- Morrisville College Foundation

Time -- 2:03.4 

Mutuel -- $2.70

Tyler Buter and Scott Zeron led all driver for wins on the night, each scoring a Hat Trick on the 11-race card.

There will be a $2,500 guaranteed pool in the Pick-5 on Saturday night, which is when live racing resumes at Batavia Downs. Post time for the first race is 6 p.m.

(Photos courtesy of Paul White.)