The Canadian-owned and central New York-based All Charged Up has been plying her trade in western New York for three weeks now, and on Wednesday evening (August 16) she captured her second straight $9,000 Mares Open Handicap pacing feature at Batavia Downs.
All Charged Up (driven by John MacDonald) left, but yielded to Little Santamonica (Larry Stalbaum), who wanted the front and got her way. From there, Little Santamonica did all the heavy lifting, as she cut the fractions in :27.2, :56.2 and 1:25.1.
MacDonald started to roll All Charged Up at the final station. He get her to the outside and All Charged Up paced right around the leader. She had command before they hit the stretch and then paced away to an easy five-length victory in 1:53.1, which was only one-fifth of a second off the track record for aged pacing mares (Xenia Hanover 1:53, 2013).
All Charged Up, victorious at Batavia Downs on August 16, 2017 (Photo courtesy Paul White)
The win was the 25th lifetime victory for All Charged Up ($4.40) and it pushed her career earnings total to $236,532 for owner J P Stables. The six-year-old daughter of Ponder is trained by ‘The Prime Minister’ John MacDonald.
MacDonald doubled his fun by winning the co-featured $8,000 Mares Open II Pace with Dreas Good Powow. Having received a similar two-hole trip, Dreas Good Powow sat behind Voltina (Kevin Cummings) until the top of the stretch when he pulled her and paced right by to win by a length in 1:55.2.
It was the second win in three starts for Dreas Good Powow ($3.80) and the second win of the night for owner J P Stables and trainer/driver MacDonald.
The biggest win mutual of the meet so far was realized in the eighth race on the card. Ray Fisher Jr. took advantage of a fast :55.3 half and swooped the field from worst to first with Canthelpbutwin at 54-1. When the dust had settled from the tote board being blown up, the win price displayed was $101.50 for a $2 wager. That prompted a $2 ‘7-2’ exacta that paid $1,129, a $2 ‘7-2-all’ trifecta that paid $1,646 and a $1 ‘7-2-all-all’ superfecta that returned $464.50.
John MacDonald wasn’t the only horseman to capture two driving and training wins on the night. Shawn McDonough and Larry Stalbaum also attained the same achievement.
Racing will resume at Batavia Downs on Friday with post time at 6 p.m. The early Pick-5 on Friday will start with a $1,500 pool and will comprise Races 1 through 5.
(Batavia Downs)