Lougazi scored his second straight win at Batavia Downs in the $15,000 Open I Handicap Trot on Friday night (Sept. 22).
Lougazi (Ray Fisher Jr.) got away sixth while Makadushin N Cheez (Kevin Cummings) took the outside route to the lead as he passed the quarter in :28.4. Then just before the half, I Got The Looks (Dan Yetman) led an outer-flow charge while Lougazi got in gear and followed. I Got The Looks pushed Makadusin N Cheez to three-quarters and that’s where Lougazi tipped three-wide into the last turn. By the time they hit the top of the stretch, the three horses trotted evenly across the track, but then Lougazi kicked away in deep stretch and won by a length in 1:57.2.
It was the 57th lifetime win for Lougazi ($6.10) and the lion's share of the purse pushed his career bankroll over the $500,000 mark. Owned by Mary Warriner, the Ryan Swift-trained nine-year-old Lous Legacy gelding has not missed the board in nine Batavia Downs starts this year, posting three wins, four seconds and two thirds to this point.
In the $13,000 Open II Handicap Trot, Ricky Be Sharp (Mike Baumeister) was let go by the betting public at 28-1 and pulled a major upset after making a three-wide move at three-quarters, trotted by the race leader Worthy Of Honor (Drew Monti) and then held off the late-closing Da Boogie Man (Kyle Cummings) and E Street (Jim Morrill Jr.) to win by a head in 1:57.3, tying his lifetime mark.
Ricky Be Sharp ($59.50) got his 40th career win. Ron Baumeister trains the seven-year-old American Native gelding for owner Jennifer Signor.
JIm Morrill Jr. led all drivers with three wins on Friday.
(With files from Batavia Downs)