It was "open" season for pacers at Batavia Downs on Saturday night (Oct. 23) as four divisions of top-class sidewheelers went postward with an Open I, two Open II’s and an Open III pace going for a total of $48,950 in purses.

The feature race was the $13,500 Open I Handicap and Art Scene closed with a rush to claim the top prize.

Driver Jim Morrill Jr. sat patient in second with Art Scene from the start as Crockets Cullen N took control at the quarter. With the field single file for most of the journey, Crocketts Cullen N backed the half to :57.2 and reached three-quarters in 1:25.2. As the six spiraled off the far turn, Art Scene came off the pylons and he did it with authority. Morrill drove hard down the lane and Art Scene pulled away to a one-length win in 1:53.3.

It was the fifth win of the Batavia meet and sixth overall in 2021 for Art Scene and owners Vogel & Wags Nags, Team Rice Racing and Adelphi Bloodstock. Art Scene is conditioned by Maria Rice and paid $4.40 to win.

Then there was the pair of $12,100 Open II Handicaps that both provided very exciting finishes with opposite strategies being employed.

In the first, Toot Toot N drafted along fourth as Catch A Lefty A cut the quarters through the first three turns. But then things got interesting when Thor De Vie and Santana Beach put on some big pressure three-deep around the last curve, where Toot Toot N swung four-wide around everyone and won by a half length in 1:55.1.

Toot Toot N is owned by Burke Racing and Weaver Bruscemi and is trained by Jim Clouser Jr. Kyle Cummings drove the $5.30 winner.

The second division was a drop-and-pop for Surfer Beach, who took the lead from Raksmach N at the quarter and then led most of the race by a gapped advantage to the top of the stretch, where he pulled away to a 3-1/4-length win in 1:53.1.

Nine wins are now in the books this year for Surfer Beach for owners Vogel & Wags Nags, Team Rice Racing and Adelphi Bloodstock. Maria Rice trains the $3.60 winner while Jim Morrill Jr. had the drive.

The $11,250 Open III Handicap was another speedy event that saw Lord Willoughby A take the lead from Weekend Atnannies past the quarter and then continually extend his advantage through the 1:24.3 three-quarters. Then driver Larry Stalbaum turned Lord Willoughby N for home and rolled away by five in 1:54 for his seventh win of the season.

Lord Willoughby A is owned by Shark Racing and trained by his driver, Larry Stalbaum. He paid $5.70 to win.

Driver Jim Morrill Jr. and trainer Maria Rice were once again tops in their crafts on Saturday. Morrill won four races during the night while Rice was victorious in three races on the card. Driver Kyle Cummings also had a big night as he got the hat trick during the proceedings.

With no single unique winning ticket purchased in the Jackpot Pick 5 on Saturday night (Oct. 23), there will be a carryover of $11,825 for that bet in Race 9 when live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Wednesday (Oct. 27). There is also a small but mentionable carryover of $482 in the Jackpot Pick 6 in Race 4.

Free full past performance programs for the entire card — that includes the above races — can also be downloaded at bataviadownsgaming.com under the live racing tab, where they can be found for every live night of racing at Batavia Downs.

Post time for the first race Wednesday (Oct. 27) is 5 p.m. (EDT).

(Batavia Downs)