The race office at Batavia Downs announced today the dates and rules of the Henry Tojj Pacing Series.

The pacing series is for horses that have started for a claiming price of $5,000 or less in 2012 and have raced once at Batavia Downs, in any class, during the 2012 Summer-Fall meet.

The top 48 money earners in 2012 as of October 1 make the series. Nomination fee is $250. All entries must be postmarked and received in the race office by October 5.

The pacing series is based on points, with the top eight point leaders after the three elimination legs making the $27,000 (est.) November 10 final. The next eight point leaders make the $10,000 consolation to be raced the same night. Racing in all three elimination legs is not required.

Points are awarded in the following manner; 50 for a win, 25 for a second, 12 for a third, eight for a fourth, and five for a fifth place finish. All other starters receive one point.

The series kicks off on October 17 where Leg 1 will offer a purse of $5,000 per each division and horses will be eligible to be claimed for $6,000. Leg 2 will be a week later, with purse money raised to $6,000 per division and horses eligible to be claimed for $7,000. The final elimination leg is raced on October 31. Purse money for this leg is $7,000 and horses can be claimed for $8,000. There are no claims allowed in the final or consolation.

Official Henry Tojj rules and entry forms can be downloaded under the horsemen section at bataviadownscasino.com.

“It’s really a unique series,” Joe Zambito, longtime racing secretary at Batavia said. “We expect the claiming box to be active but there is some strategy involved, since a horse is not required to race in every leg.”

The pacing series is named after Henry Tojj, the hard hitting popular Western New York pacer, who won 18 races in the claiming ranks for trainer/driver Al Mariacher back in 1985.

(Batavia Downs)