Records set at Batavia

Batavia Downs, America’s oldest lighted harness track, recently concluded its 61st season and to say it was a record-breaking year would be an understatement. Here’s a look back at some of the highlights:

New Track Records

The new all-age track record was set during the 4th annual Robert J. Kane Memorial pace, the showcase event of the Batavia Down season, named after the former chairman of the board of Western OTB, the owner of Batavia Downs Gaming.

Popular local pacer Michael Scores, with the track's second-leading driver Kevin Cummings, easily defeated a field with combined lifetime earnings of over $3 million. His final time of 1:52.1 shattered the previous mark of 1:53.2, set in 1993 by Getting Personal.

Prior to that, champions like Niatross and Bret Hanover held the Batavia Downs all-age record.

Paula’s Best only had 5 lifetime starts when she shipped into the Downs from Freehold Raceway and while she may have been short on experience she was loaded with talented. Put right on the lead by leading driver Jim Morrill Jr., Paula’s Best became the fastest 2-year-old filly ever to win here, when she went wire to wire in 1:55 flat. She easily bested the previous mark set by a pretty good filly in her own right, world champion Darlin's Delight, who went in 1:56.4 in 2005.

Forensic Z Tam with trainer-driver Patrick Lachance was making only his third pari-mutuel start but he eclipsed the track record for 2-year-old colts and geldings in winning in 1:55.2 in gate-to-wire fashion. Pandrogynous held the previous record of 1:56.1 set in 2005.

On the trotting side, track records were set by 2 year olds of both genders. Chippewa Street roared from far back early to win going away in 2:01.1 for former Batavia Downs reinsman Ray Schnittker. The previous mark for trotting fillies was 2:02.4 set in 1984 by Armbro Blush.

Hitwiththeladies with Jack Flanigen driving cruised to victory by a good margin in 2:02, setting a new track record for juvenile colts and geldings. The previous mark of 2:02.1 was set by Last Call At Dem’s in 2003. Hitwiththeladies went on to be voted U.S. Trotting Association District 8 Horse of the Year.

More Records Broken

Leading driver Jim Morrill Jr. set two records during the 58 racing programs of the Downs Summer-Fall meet. The 42 year-old former Meadowlands regular won 177 races, breaking the record he set last year and also set a new record as his drives earned $802,528, crushing the record he set here last year by over $250,000.

Downs leading trainer Paul Szalay Jr also established a record as the horses he trained earned $335,955.

John Cummings Jr. tied the record for the most wins in one night when he won 8 races on Aug. 7. That tied the record set by Morrill in 2005. (Batavia Downs)

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