Megan Wilson’s Mc Ryan Michael, paced to an authoritative win in the featured $8,100 Open Pace during Batavia Downs Casino's final night of live harness racing of its 65th season on Saturday

, December 3.

Mc Ryan Michael, with John Cummings Jr. in the bike, fired out of the Post 5 and were on top before an eighth of a mile. Once on the lead, Mc Ryan Michael strolled to opening fractions of :29 and :58.3. The six-year-old son of Mannart Howard then put up a sizzling :28.1 third stanza and sealed the deal coming home in :28.4 to record his fourth win of the season in 1:55.3. The win raised Mc Ryan Michael’s lifetime earnings to $201,027. He returned $6.60 to win.

A first over Bettors Reward (Dave McNeight III) finished three lengths behind in second while the pocket sitting Adelias Prince (Keith Kash Jr.) held on for third.

Top trainer honours ended up in a dead-heat as Alex Giuliani and John Mungillo both finished with 44 wins. Jack Flanigen was the dash leading driver with 124 wins defeating John Cummings, who finished with 101.

The horsemen were honoured along with Jim Mulcahy, Good Guy Award, Dave McNeight III, Rising Star Award, Sherri Holliday, Western New York Trainer of the Year, Aracache Hanover, Special Recognition Award, and Mach Ten, 2011 Batavia Downs Horse of the Year and Horse of the Year in WNY. Tim Bojarski, President of the Upstate New York Chapter of USHWA, was trackside to make the presentations along with delegate Sam Pendolino during the “Night of Distinction.”

Richard Post of Arcade, New York won the Pick 6 contest. Amongst the 502 patrons that participated, he was the only one that was able to select four winners and that was good enough to take home the top prize of $1,000. The Pick 6 contest was co-sponsored by the Western New York Harness Horsemen Association.

Pending New York State Racing and Wagering Board approval, America’s oldest lighted harness track will reopen on July 23, 2012.

(With files from Batavia Downs)