It was business as usual at Batavia Downs on Wednesday night (November 26) after a week-long hiatus due to inclement weather.
Although several feet of snow from the storm had already dissipated, a 32-degree temperature (Fahrenheit) and flurries greeted the horses as they hit the track with mud gear employed.
The night’s feature race hosted the top seven distaff pacers on the grounds in the $9,600 Mares Open, and when the slush had settled, Seascape Hanover had bagged her eighth win of the year.
When the starter released the field, the group settled into post-position order for the first half of the mile. Rail rider Memumsnotnice (driven by Kevin Cummings) cut the fractions through that segment before Mondatta (Jim McNeight) came first-over into the third turn. With those two ‘carrying the mail,’ Seascape Hanover (Ron Beback Jr.) sat chilly in the garden spot just waiting to make her move. That time came at the head of the stretch when the passing lane opened up and Seascape Hanover made her move and paced right by Memumsnotnice to notch the 1:59 victory. Mondatta hung on for third.
Seascape Hanover ($4.60) is owned by Tessa Roland and Mark Jakubik and is trained by J.D. Perrin. The win boosted her 2014 earnings to $43,877 and now the eight-year-old Camluck mare is just shy of a quarter-million dollars in lifetime purse earnings.
Driver Ron Beback Jr. scored a driving hat trick on the night while Drew Monti, Ray Fisher Jr. and Jimmy Whittemore all doubled up.
Superfecta players had a heyday Wednesday night as six races returned boxcar payouts. The 4-1-6-3 combination in the second race paid $5,542.00, 6-1-4-8 in the third returned $2,010.00, 1-4-2-6 in the ninth paid $3,997.00, 2-8-6-1 in the tenth paid $1,205.00, 3-1-8-2 in the eleventh returned $2,130.00 and the twelfth race featured a monster double payout due to a dead-heat for place. 5-3-6-1 paid $6,350.00 and 5-6-3-1 returned $4,234.00.
And while we’re on the topic of instant jackpots, the Pick-4 in races three through six rewarded players with a $5,339.00 bundle of cash.
Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Friday night (November 28). And the first of two Saturday double-headers will be held this Saturday (November 29) with first-race post times set at 12:15 p.m. and 6:35 p.m.
(Batavia Downs)