Two $24,352 Open-class events topped the bill at Batavia Downs on Saturday, Sept. 20, and both winners claimed victory with ease.

In the Open Handicap Trot, there was no competition for El Toro Loco, who had complete control throughout the mile. Kevin Cummings sent El Toro Loco to the front from post five and opened up an immediate two-length gap passing the quarter in :28.3. With I Got The Looks (Dan Yetman) drafting in the pocket, El Toro Loco lowered the tempo to the half to :58.4 before getting to three-quarters in 1:27.1 with only a mild bid from Biscoe (Jim McNeight Jr.), who never got closer than third and three lengths in arrears. El Toro Loco hit the top of the stretch in front and simply cruised to the line a 2-1/2-length winner in 1:56.2. I Got The Looks was second, followed by Valentine Express (Kyle Swift).

The win was the eighth of the year in 24 starts for El Toro Loco ($5.40). The Walner-Southwind Cabaret six-year-old is owned by Mike Torcello and trained by Sam Smith. He is 22-for-100 lifetime.

Mirragon A came first-over at the half to end up first at the wire in the Open Handicap Pace. Jim Morrill Jr. got away fifth with Mirragon A as Lanjo Lee (Kyle Cummings) and Twist Knot (Joe Chindano Jr.) traded leads to the quarter in :27.2. Twist Knot got the lead just past that point and escorted the group to the half in :56.4. Morrill then tipped Mirragon A, who motored up the rim towards the leader as they rounded turn three. Mirragon A was fully engaged with Twist Knot at five-eighths and moved by him into the lead, passing three-quarters in 1:24.1. Mirragon A then swelled up on the engine around the last turn and cruised to paydirt, clocked in 1:52.4. Twist Knot was second by a length, followed by Lanjo Lee.

Mirragon A ($7.88), trained by Mike Deters, improved to three-for-16 this year. The nine-year-old Art Major-The Waratah gelding is owned by Deters in partnership with Joel Warner and John Manning. He has won 37 times in 154 career outings.

Kevin Cummings, Drew Monti and Morrill all had three wins at the lines on Saturday, while trainer Sam Smith sent two of his students to the winner’s enclosure.

Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Wednesday, Sept. 24 with post time at 6 p.m., and there will be a guaranteed pool of $7,500 in the Pick-5 wager in the first race. That wager has a $2,566 carryover, and the $7,500 guarantee is part of the United States Trotting Association's Strategic Wagering Program. Full past performance program pages for the Pick-5 races will be available for free at ustrotting.com under the Handicapping tab. There is also a carryover of $2,016 in the Jackpot Super Hi-5 pentafecta in the 13th race.

(Batavia Downs; photo of El Toro Loco winning on Sept. 20)