With little challenge at the start of the mile, Kahoku set pedestrian early fractions and hung on late to win the $10,500 Open Handicap Trot at Batavia Downs on Friday night (Oct. 13).

The car released the field and surprisingly nobody left giving the pylon-sitting Kahoku (Kevin Cummings) the command spot by default. Feeling right at home in that position, Kahoku slowed the fractions considerably with a :30.1 second panel and :59.3 half. Fleet Bumblebee (Drew Monti) was outside on the move at that point and came within a length of the leader by the five-eighths pole.

Pushing the issue from there, the pace quickened to :28.2 for the third quarter but that took a toll on Fleet Bumblebee, who faded as they came off the turn. However, a fresh Northern Matador (Ray Fisher Jr.), who had been sitting second the whole mile, found the passing lane and incrementally gained ground down the stretch on that path. Sensing the challenge, Cummings urging Kahoku to dig in and he did his best to comply, hanging on to win by a nose in 1:58.

The win was the fourth of 2017 for Kahoku ($10.60) and it raised his earnings to $37,448 for owner Colleen Girdlestone and trainer Kirk Desmond.

In the $8,000 Open II Trot, Winkys Pride (Billy Davis Jr.) was also a wire-to-wire winner, touring the facility unencumbered in 1:58.3. Winkys Pride ($7.80) is owned and trained by Robert Hummel.

Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Saturday (Oct. 14) with post time at 6 p.m.

(Batavia Downs)