Team Captain upset at odds of 16-1 in the $10,500 featured Open at Batavia Downs on Saturday, September 16, upsetting local favourite Fireyourguns in 1:52.4.
Team Captain got away last in the field of seven as even-money shot Fireyourguns went three deep to take the lead and set quick early fractions of :26.1 and :54.2, pressured by Believe This Bob, who parked the mile. As the field bunched up the backstretch, Team Captain was still last and third-over in the outer flow at three-quarters in 1:23.1.
Coming off the last turn, Focus Power tipped three wide around Itsonlyrocknroll A and Team Captain fanned four wide around them. As they roared down the stretch, Fireyourguns weakened inside as Focus Power and Team Captain went toe-to-toe all the way to the wire, with Team Captain eventually getting a head advantage under the light in 1:52.4.
Team Captain, returning $34.20, scored his sixth win of the year for owner Joseph Martinelli Sr., earning $35,610 over the season. Paul Bernardo trains the five-year-old gelded son of Cam’s Card Shark and John Cummings Jr. was in the bike.
In the co-featured $9,000 Open II pacing event, Show Stopping, paying $28.20 to win, tracked fast fractions set by Mister Livan N from sixth before pulling second-over at three-quarters, then tipping three-wide at the top of the stretch to pace away from the field and win by one-half length in 1:53.1.
Show Stopping is owned by Resilient Racing Stable and trained by Rose Russo.
Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Monday, September 18 with post time at 5 p.m.
(With files from Batavia Downs)