Driver Jack Flanigen steered homegrown Tuesdays With Mom to victory in the $9,000 feature Open Trot at Batavia Downs Casino Friday night
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As the gate pulled away, favourite Tuesdays With Mom ($3.00) went for a lead she would never relinquish. The field travelled to the quarter in a meager :29.4 and a half in :59.1.
Manfromnantucket (Jim Mc Neight) pulled to the outside and mounted a brief challenge before the mare pulled away at the three-quarters in 1.28.1.
Manfromnantucket slowly fell back into the pack as everyone approached the stretch and fanned wide. Columbia County (Ray Fisher Jr.) surged late from the far outside, but Tuesdays With Mom was able to hold her own for the win by one and a half lengths, in a seasonal best 1:58. Columbia County finished second and Kash N Credit (Troy Boring) hung on for third.
The four-year-old Credit Winner-Princess Deanna mare is owned and trained locally by Peter Arrigenna. She was a champion of the New York Sire Stakes at two and three and now has $442,306 in lifetime purse earnings. The feature was only her fourth start of 2011 with two wins and one third for her efforts.
John Cummings Jr. accumulated a triumphant four wins Friday evening. He won the first with Art Reactor ($6.20), the fourth with C J D Sale ($3.30), upset the sixth with Lets Get Serious ($19.60), and won the 10th with Odds On The Beach ($3.80).
Racing resumes at America’s oldest night harness track on Saturday night. Post time is 6:40 p.m.
The first twin bill in over 20 years featuring and all stakes evening program, highlighted by some of the top three-year-old colt and gelding trotters the Empire state has to offer, and some great food specials should make for a Labour Day to remember at Batavia Downs Casino.
The rich 12-race night card, worth $296,920 in purse money for New York breds, goes off at 6:40 p.m. The 12-race matinee program kicks off at 1:15 p.m. The evening program consists of four New York Sire Stake divisions worth $144,920, four Late Closer finals worth $30,000 each and four County Fair finals worth $8,000 each.
Headlining the superfecta of Sire Stakes races is Purple Haze Stables' Dejarmbro, currently the Downs track record holder for freshman square gaiters. He makes his Downs return for trainer Trond Smedshammer, who will also steer the talented colt. In 10 starts this season the Credit Winner-Armbro Déjà Vu three-year-old sports seven wins and earnings of $556,021. Dejarmbro comes off a narrow defeat in the $500,000 Colonial Trot at Harrah’s Chester. He starts from Post 4 (head number five) in the fourth race.
Another Credit Winner offspring, Keenan, figures to get all the attention in the sixth race. With 10 wins in 16 starts and $183,350 in earnings this year, the Larry Remmen trainee looks like a standout with regular driver Jeff Gregory in the bike. Keenan, who starts from Post 5, is the current points leader in the race to qualify for the Saratoga Raceway Night of Champions final.
Currently second in the NYSS point standings is the Credit Winner-Southwind Flanders gelding, Im The Answer. He’ll go behind the starting gate from Post 2in the seventh race for owner Purple Haze Stables and trainer/driver Smedshammer. In 11 starts in 2011, Im The Answer sports six wins and $146,433 in earnings. He comes off a second place to Keenan at Yonkers last time out.
The County Fair finals are carded as Races 1, 2, 9 and and 12. The Late Closer finals go off as Races 5, 8, 10 and 11. Paddock room food specials include $1 hot dogs from noon until 4 p.m. and $1 sodas and draft beer from noon until 10 p.m. A delicious chicken BBQ will be served for just $4.95, beginning at 4 p.m. The clubhouse will offer a lunch buffet for $7.95 from noon until 3 p.m. Reservations are strongly recommended.
(Batavia Downs)