Sports

Jim Morrill Jr. was on fire at Batavia Downs Saturday night (Oct. 22) as he won seven of the 13 races carded and vaulted himself into the dash driving lead for the meet.

Morrill started early and was relentless as the night went on. He scored with Thunderbolt Jaxon ($4.80, 1:56.3), Outoftexas ($5.50, 1:55.3), Green Olives ($3.30, 1:56.2), Dodger Hanover ($2.80, 1:57.3), Littlebitaclass ($7.00, 1:54.2), Adversary Seelster ($3.50, 1:57.1) and Zipnthruthehall ($2.90, 1:57).

The current record for wins on one card at Batavia Downs is eight, set by Jim Morrill Jr. in 2005 and matched by John Cummings Jr. in 2006.

Beside his septuple successes, Morrill also had three seconds and a third among his 12 drives for the night and that added up to a .750 UDR for the evening.  

Morrill is currently ranked third in North America for UDR in 2016, sporting a gaudy .415 for the year. He has amassed 322 wins in 1,197 starts and earned $3,776,654 as a result to this point.

Photo of Littlebitaclass taking the lead with driver Jim Morrill Jr. at the reins.

By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

The fifth win of the night for Jim Morrill Jr. was with Littlebitaclass who won the $10,000 Open pacing feature.

Claimed two weeks ago for $20,000 and victorious in each start since, Littlebitaclass left and out-legged China Dream (Shawn Gray) to the front shortly after they passed the quarter pole. From there, Morrill grabbed leather to settle the gelding until Knocking Around (Dave McNeight III) drew alongside approaching three-quarters.

When they tripped the timer in 1:25.2 at that station, Knocking Around took a half-length lead and appeared to have gotten the best of the leader. But Littlebitaclass gallantly fought back and regained a neck advantage by the head of the stretch. But Knocking Around would not go away and was joined in the fray by China Dream, who had gotten the trip and came up the passing lane. Flanked by adversaries on both sides, Littlebitaclass dug in hard and refused to lose, hitting the wire first by a mere head in 1:54.2.

It was the ninth win of the year for Littlebitaclass and it boosted his earnings to $52,201 for 2016. The 5-year-old gelded son of Santana Blue Chip is owned by Mike Torcello and trained by Gerry Sarama.

Trainer Alex Giuliani sent three winners postward while fellow conditioners Gerry Sarama and Mihajlo Zdjelar Jr. each doubled up.

As was previously mentioned, there is a new dash driving title leader at Batavia Downs in Morrill, who now tops everyone with 73 wins. Kevin Cummings, who was not in action Saturday, is tied for second with Drew Monti with 68 wins and Ray Fisher Jr. is a close fourth with 62.

Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Wednesday (Oct. 26) with post time at 6:15 p.m.

(Photo of Who Says That with driver Shawn Gray.)

By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

On a night not fit for man nor beast, Shawn Gray and Who Says That overcame a day-long deluge of rain along with five fit female pacers to win the $9,500 Open mares featured pace at Batavia Downs on Friday evening (Oct. 21).

Gray took Who Says That off the gate and tucked her in fifth along the pylons and was content to sit off the pace to the half as My Tallia Ideal (Dave McNeight III) smoked that fraction in :57.4 over the rain-soaked track. At that point, Who Says That pulled and coaxed cover in the outer flow from last week’s Open winner, Dontch Remember (Jim Morrill Jr.) as the field passed the five-eighths marker and motored up the backside.  

When it became evident that Dontch Remember would not pace on, Gray tipped Who Says That three deep and proceeded to advance expeditiously. Fourth, third, second and finally first at the head of the lane; Who Says That splashed away from the competition and opened up a five length lead before hitting the wire a wrapped-up winner in 1:57.

My Tallia Ideal was second and the recently claimed Kaitlyn Akeeper (Kevin Cummings) brushed up to be third.

Although it was the first win for Who Says That ($10.60) since Aug. 10, it was also her eleventh win of the year overall. The 5-year-old Badlands Hanover mare has now earned $57,557 in 2016 for owners Vogel & Wags Nags Stable, Chris Shambo and Jack Rice. The winner is trained by Maria Rice.

Maria Rice had a very profitable night at Batavia Friday as she conditioned three winners on the card. Besides Who Says That, she also sent Southwind Serenity ($5.70) and Lucky Pablo ($3.50) to the winners circle. Shawn Gray scored a driving triple teaming all of Rice’s entries.

Ray Fisher Jr. also drove three winners, two of which were trained by John Hallett, who scored a stable double.

Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on tonight (Oct. 22) with the first post set at 6:15.

Pembroke Boys Varsity Soccer team's run came to an end today with a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Campbell-Savona.

More photos can be viewed at : http://francletography.photoshelter.com/gallery/2016-10-22-Campbell-Savona-Varsity-Soccer-at-Pembroke/G0000utMnUZyW6kM/C0000ONQk3dqJ1PM

 

Press release:

U.S. Baseball Academy is pleased to announce the return of Spring Training 2017 to its Batavia location. We have been in business for over 20 years, operating hundreds of camps around the country.

Our Spring Training 2017 program will be directed by Skip Sherman, head coach, Genesee Community College, with help from a staff of the top coaches in this area.  Proceeds from the program benefit amateur baseball in Batavia.

U.S. Baseball Academy is a national training program operating at nearly 220 locations across the United States. You can see our complete schedule at www.USBaseballAcademy.com. We generally draw from a 40-mile radius around each site, so this should be newsworthy throughout your circulation area.
 
The release below refers readers to our web site for further details and registration forms. Our registration process is handled online.
  
U.S. Baseball Academy
Midwest Baseball Academy Inc.
866-622-4487 x101
www.USBaseballAcademy.com

(Photo of BJ's Guy out front (#4), driven by Drew Monti.)

By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

Fresh off a win in the Yonkers preferred pace last week, BJ’s Guy shipped into Batavia Downs to take on the best local talent on Saturday night (Oct. 15) and went from worst to first in the $9,500 Open pacing feature.

Normandy Invasion (Jim Morrill Jr.) took a methodical stroll to the front off the gate and eventually opened up a two-length lead at the quarter in :27.2. Positions remained unchanged to the half in :55.2, when BJ’s Guy (Drew Monti) started up on the outside from last and prompted Brees Creek (Kevin Cummings) and China Dream (Shawn Gray) to pull in front of him, establishing a three-horse outer flow going up the backside.

When the group passed three-quarters, China Dream tipped three-deep and BJ’s Guy followed in step and they both began to chip away at Normandy Invasion’s lead. As they came off the turn and stormed down the lane, Normandy Invasion began to tire and China Dream got to the front, but BJ’s Guy brushed harder and overtook him in the middle of the track and got home first in 1:53.4. China Dream did hold on for second and Junior Pride (Ray Fisher Jr.) snuck up the passing lane to grab third.

It was the ninth win of the season for BJ’s Guy ($7.70) who has now earned $91,902 during the year for owners Blindswitch Racing Stable, David Sebolsky and Stanley Yoskowitz. The 7-year-old gelded son of Towner’s Big Guy is trained by Jose Godinez.

Jim Morrill Jr. won four more races on Saturday night and those wins pushed him into second place for the dash winning lead with 65 victories behind Kevin Cummings who has 68. The quadruple also gave him 12 wins in the last three nights of racing at Batavia.

Also on Saturday, Shawn Gray scored a driving hat trick while Drew Monti doubled up on the card.

Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Wednesday night (Oct. 19) with post time set at 6:15.

It was Senior night in Alexander Friday and the Alexander Trojans took the field against Finney/Northstar in a battle of the unbeatens.

Finney came out strong, running the ball on every play and moving the chains in small increments, eating up all but about 3 minutes in the first quarter when they finally punched it in.

The Trojans marched down the field and responded 2 minutes later with a Brennan to Schmeider pass for the score and then didn't look back.

 

Heberlein ran one in. Brennan hit Busch for another 3. McClinic took one almost 50 yards into the end zone. Paolucci hit the extra points.

As the offense was firing on all cylinders, the defense figured out the Finney misdirection plays and shut them down. 

More pictures can be found here: http://francletography.photoshelter.com/gallery/2016-10-14-CJ-Finney-Varsity-at-Alexander/G0000J78IrLrhjns/C0000f1tHYlmnDIE

Congratulations to the team and coaches on the first undefeated season in 39 years and special recognition to Seniors:

Dane Heberlein

Brian George

Derrick Busch

PJ Brennan

Ryan Mileham

Hannah Paolucci

Jacob Bykowski

Nic Caldwell

Zach Jasen

Kyle Perl

Josh Hylkema

Tommy DeSalvo

Dustin Scmeider

Ryan Dunbar

And the Senior Cheerleaders:

Sara Webster

Alexis Earsing

Alynn Franclemont

Dominique Mooney

Yahaira Brown-Diaz

Kaylee MacIntyre

(Hopefully I named everybody!)

On to playoffs....

 

 

(Photo of Noble Legend with driver Shawn Gray.)

By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

After finishing second in the top local trot twice last month, Noble Legend ($25.40) blew up the tote board along with his rivals in winning the $10,500 Open trotting feature at Batavia Downs on Friday night (Oct. 14).

After taking last week off, Noble Legend returned to the track with a new attitude and approach. Driver Shawn Gray sent Noble Legend right to the front and took no prisoners from there. He lead the troops by two open lengths through fractions of :28.1, :57.3 and 1:26.2 while the trailers were struggling to keep up.

At the top of the lane, Noble Legend was cruising under mild urging from Gray when Studio City (Dave McNeight III) who was second the whole mile, drifted off the pegs in an attempt to collar the leader. But all that did was allow BZ Glide (Mike Caprio) to slide up inside him and get into the action. Noble Legend trotted on to win in 1:56.4 by a length over the fast-closing BZ Glide and Studio City, who finished second and third respectively.

It was the eighth win of the season for Noble Legend who increased his 2016 bankroll to $55,983 for owners Vogel & Wags Nags and Jack Rice. Maria Rice trains the 4-year-old son of Kadabra. 

In the co-featured $10,000 Open mares pace, Dontch Remember ($26.20) shook off a two-month winless streak and led the ladies wire-to-wire by gapped lengths to win her eighth race of the year in a new lifetime mark of 1:54.4. Gerry Sarama trains the 6-year-old Western Terror mare for owner Mike Torcello.

Driver Jim Morrill Jr. continued his torrid pace at the Downs, winning another five races on the card. He scored with Love U Forever ($3.70, 1:58.3), The Bronx Bumper ($7.10, 1:58.4), Keystone Wild Card ($4.10, 2:02), Dontch Remember ($26.20, 1:54.4) and Son Of Nordic ($9.90, 1:58.3). The five wins and one second in eight starts gave Morrill a .694 UDR for the night.

Drew Monti had a driving double and Mike Ohol had two winners on the training side.

The dash driving leader board continues to be tight. Kevin Cummings, despite not visiting the winner’s circle on Friday, remains on top with 67 wins. Drew Monti is second with 62 and Jim Morrill Jr. vaulted into third on the strength of his performance with 61 victories.

Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Saturday night (Oct. 15) at 6:15.

Press release:

Team New Era will hold an open tryout to fill one, or potentially as many as two, roster spots on its 12U, 14U and 16U teams.

Interested players at those ages are welcome to attend either of the following free tryouts: 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 25th, and 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29th, at our Depew location training facility -- 3950 Broadway, Depew. For more information contact Rich Wozniak at email@newerapark.com or 716-681-3001 or see www.teamnewerabaseball.com.

By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

For the second week in a row, Kaitlyn Akeeper shown best in winning the $7,800 mares Open II/optional claiming feature race at Batavia Downs on Wednesday night (Oct. 12).

Rather than bolt for the lead as he had done over the last three weeks, Jim Morrill Jr. took Kaitlyn Akeeper off the gate and allowed Mondatta (Dave McNeight III) and Terrorcam (Wade Tomaszewski) to duke it out for the front. When they had finally settled, Morrill tipped Kaitlyn Akeeper early and took the lead from them before the three-eighths pole. From there the race was history.

Kaitlyn Akeeper got to the half in :58.1 and three-quarters in 1:26.4, all the time with horses in two-rows behind her. With a gapped two-length lead going around the far turn, the win looked assured and the race would be for minor spoils. As they headed down the lane, Mayabelle (Kevin Cummings) shook loose from behind the fading Mondatta and made a run at the leader, but Kaitlyn Akeeper hung on to win in 1:55.4 by a diminishing two lengths.

Mayabelle was second and Mondatta hung on for third.

It was the seventh victory of the year for Kaitlyn Akeeper ($2.60) and it raised her purse total to $45,272 for owner Mike Torcello. The winner was trained by Gerry Sarama.

Kaitlyn Akeeper was also claimed out of the race for $21,750 by Mark Jakubik.

Jim Morrill Jr. scored a driving triple on Wednesday night while Kevin Cummings, Shawn Gray and Dave McNeight III all had two wins apiece. Trainer Dave McNeight Jr. also conditioned two winners on the card.

Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Friday (Oct. 14) with post time at 6:15 p.m.

Photo of Beechwood Wayne and driver Drew Monti (wearing helmet), winners of the "Run for the Cannolis" Italian drivers' race held on Columbus Day (Oct. 10) at Batavia Downs.

By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

The temperature was cool for the final matinee card of racing at Batavia Downs for 2016 but Drew Monti was red hot, winning five races on Monday afternoon (Oct. 10) including the special Columbus Day featured $5,000 “Run for the Cannolis” Italian drivers' race.

The Run for the Cannolis is an annual tradition at the Downs to honor the large Italian population in the City of Batavia. It was started decades ago and has continued each year on Columbus Day.

In this year’s edition, Monti drove Beechwood Wayne to a three-length win in 1:58.1. After getting away second, Beechwood Wayne followed closely as Goddess’s Justin (at the pylons) and First Of Fun (outside) battled side-by-side for the lead for over a quarter mile. When First Of Fun finally failed, Beechwood Wayne popped the pocket at three-quarters and blew right by Goddess’s Justin.

But the race wasn’t over.

Rock C. Vinci, who has won this race for the last two years, had tracked Monti’s move around the far turn and was now breathing down Beechwood Wayne back at the head of the lane. As both drivers went to the stick in the dash to the wire, “Drivin’ Drew” had the jump and got Beechwood Wayne there first to claim the cannolis for 2016.

It was the ninth win of the year for Beechwood Wayne ($3.60) and third in a row during his current streak. The 9-year-old gelded son of Western Terror is owned by Tessa Roland and trained by JD Perrin.

Monti also won with Big unit ($7.50, 1:58), Quick Silver ($9.40, 1:58.4), Mystical Valentine ($4, 1:56.4) and Girls Luv Diamonds ($4.10, 1:57) to complete the five-bagger. His wins combined with a second and two thirds saw Monti’s UDR soar to .519 for the day.  

Ray Fisher Jr. had a driving triple on Monday and Kevin Cummings scored a double. And the wins recorded by all three drivers have made the dash competition at the meet extremely close. After Monday’s races, Cummings sits on top with 62 wins, Monti is second with 60 and Fisher is third with 56. With 28 racing days left, the driving crown is definitely up for grabs.

Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs tonight (Oct. 12) with post time set for 6:15.

Photo of Beechwood Wayne and driver Drew Monti (wearing helmet), winners of the "Run for the Cannolis" Italian drivers' race held on Columbus Day (Oct. 10) at Batavia Downs.

By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

The temperature was cool for the final matinee card of racing at Batavia Downs for 2016 but Drew Monti was red hot, winning five races on Monday afternoon (Oct. 10) including the special Columbus Day featured $5,000 “Run for the Cannolis” Italian drivers' race.

The Run for the Cannolis is an annual tradition at the Downs to honor the large Italian population in the City of Batavia. It was started decades ago and has continued each year on Columbus Day.

In this year’s edition, Monti drove Beechwood Wayne to a three-length win in 1:58.1. After getting away second, Beechwood Wayne followed closely as Goddess’s Justin (at the pylons) and First Of Fun (outside) battled side-by-side for the lead for over a quarter mile. When First Of Fun finally failed, Beechwood Wayne popped the pocket at three-quarters and blew right by Goddess’s Justin.

But the race wasn’t over.

Rock C. Vinci, who has won this race for the last two years, had tracked Monti’s move around the far turn and was now breathing down Beechwood Wayne back at the head of the lane. As both drivers went to the stick in the dash to the wire, “Drivin’ Drew” had the jump and got Beechwood Wayne there first to claim the cannolis for 2016.

It was the ninth win of the year for Beechwood Wayne ($3.60) and third in a row during his current streak. The 9-year-old gelded son of Western Terror is owned by Tessa Roland and trained by JD Perrin.

Monti also won with Big unit ($7.50, 1:58), Quick Silver ($9.40, 1:58.4), Mystical Valentine ($4, 1:56.4) and Girls Luv Diamonds ($4.10, 1:57) to complete the five-bagger. His wins combined with a second and two thirds saw Monti’s UDR soar to .519 for the day.  

Ray Fisher Jr. had a driving triple on Monday and Kevin Cummings scored a double. And the wins recorded by all three drivers have made the dash competition at the meet extremely close. After Monday’s races, Cummings sits on top with 62 wins, Monti is second with 60 and Fisher is third with 56. With 28 racing days left, the driving crown is definitely up for grabs.

Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs tonight (Oct. 12) with post time set for 6:15.

(Photo of Foiled Again with driver Kevin Cummings courtesy of Paul White.)

By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

Although overlooked by many and sent off at a hearty 9-1, Foiled Again brought his A-game to Genesee County and exhibited the heart that has earned him over $7.4 million in lifetime earnings to win the 14^th annual $50,000 Robert J. Kane Memorial pace at Batavia Downs on Saturday night (Oct. 8). 

Off the gate, Scott Rocks (John Cummings Jr.) and Mel Mara (Jim Morrill Jr.) argued for the lead and registered a swift :26.4 quarter in the process before Mel Mara relented and tucked in second. With Scott Rocks now dictating the proceedings, the field stayed in single-file around the far turn before Polak A (Shawn Gray) pulled first-over at the three-eighths to start the outer flow.

Polak A drew alongside Scott Rocks at the half, stalked him around the turn and then passed the tiring leader before crossing over at three-quarters in 1:22.4. At this point Foiled Again (Kevin Cummings) who had been tracking the race from fifth, tipped three-deep around Southwind Amazon (Shawn McDonough) and caught up to the leader by the top of the stretch. Then as they came down the lane, Foiled Again swelled up under mild urging from Cummings and paced right by Polak A to win by a length in 1:52.2.

Polak A hung on for second and Mel Mara overcame road trouble to grab third.

It was the third time Foiled Again has won the Kane Memorial, having also scored victories in the 2009 and 2013 editions and the second time Kevin Cummings has won it after taking the 2006 race with Michael Scores.

“He went real well tonight” said Cummings. “He was a little lazy early but he did a good job tracking the field. He knows his business and I was confident at the three-quarters that he could win this. It was great to win the Kane tonight.”

It was the 90^th career win for Foiled Again ($20.20) who now sits just $13,492 short of $7.5 million lifetime. The 12-year-old Ron Burke trainee is owned by the Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi and the JJK Stable.

(Photo of Serious George (#2) with driver Shawn Gray courtesy of Paul White.)

In the co-featured $15,000 Brian Schroeder Memorial Trot, Serious George (Shawn Gray) got away fourth before pulling first-over at the half to pound out an arduous journey and overtake the front-running BZ Glide (Mike Caprio) to win in a new lifetime mark of 1:57.2. Serious George ($23) is owned by James Palladino and trained by Rich Mays.

Driver Shawn Gray was red hot on Saturday, winning five races on the card. He scored with Studio City ($3.90, 1:58.1), Surfer’s Paradise ($8.60, 1:55.4), Serious George ($23.00, 1:57.2), Gallant Major ($5.40, 1:56.2) and Life’s Lessons ($4.40, 1:56.1).

Kevin Cummings and Jim Morrill Jr. both had driving hat tricks and trainers Ron Burke and Gerry Sarama each claimed three wins apiece.

Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on this afternoon (Oct. 10) for the last matinee card of the season. The Columbus Day special gets underway at 1:15 p.m.