(Photo of Country Delight with driver Jack Flanigen, courtesy of Paul White.)
By Tim Bojarski, Batavia Downs Media Relations
Two divisions of $7,700 Open II pacing mares headlined the card at Batavia Downs on Wednesday night (Oct. 7) with eleven ladies going postward.
The better of the two contests turned out to be the second when Country Delight ($5) took a pocket trip en route to winning the seventh race by a long length.
Memumsnotnice (Kevin Cummings) got away sharply as Country Delight (Jack Flanigen) tucked in behind her as the only leaver in the race. From there, Cummings led the field through fractions of :28, :58.2 and 1:27 before they circled the far turn.
At the top of the stretch it appeared as if Memumsnotnice had the race won, but Flanigen shooed Country Delight into the passing lane where she accelerated past the leader to win in 1:55.4.
It was the ninth win of the year for the 5-year-old American Ideal mare who has now earned $57,473 in purses this year for owner James Frandsen. Country Delight is trained by James Clouser Jr.
In the first division, Infrontigo Hanover (Jim McNeight) went to go in front immediately at the start and maintained that position the entire mile, hanging on to beat the pocket-sitting 1-9 favorite, Climate Hanover (Drew Monti) by a mere nose in 1:57.
It was the fifth win of 2015 for Infrontigo Hanover who now has $50,444 in the bank for the year. The 7-year-old Western Hanover mare is trained by Bob Gruber, who co-owns with Summer Wind Stable of NY.
Driver John Cummings Jr. was on fire Wednesday, winning five races on the card. He took his picture with LG’s Pride ($65.50), Seascape Hanover ($5.10), Voltina ($10.80), Hawaiian Joe ($4.60) and Regal Beau ($4.60). Sean McDonough and Jack Flanigen each had driving doubles.
Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Friday night with the first post set to go at 6:35.
