Youre Too Funny, after three consecutive second places in the $9,000 Fillies and Mares Open Pace at Batavia Downs, took a brief respite from the harness racing battles.

But after a week of freshening, Youre Too Funny ($15) returned to the war Wednesday night (Oct. 3) and conquered the field of six by scoring a half-length victory over the heavy 1-9 favourite Its De Lovely in 1:55.1 over the fast track.

Its De Lovely (Dave McNeight III) cut the fractions of :27.4, :57.3 and 1:26.4 and seemed in control around the final turn. But the three-length lead evaporated quickly as the fast pace turned out to be too much to handle.

Youre Too Funny and driver Jack Flanigen used a steady and methodical stretch run beginning just past the three-quarters pole, grinding into the lead with every stride down the stretch, eventually collaring the pacesetter. Evil Eva (Shawn Gray) was up for third.

Owned by Greg Capell of Batavia, New York and trained by Chris Naedele, Youre Too Funny has now bankrolled $46,030 on the season. The win was the ninth of the season for the four-year-old American Ideal mare.

The Dan Noble watch continues as he inches closer to 3,000 lifetime wins. The 29-year-old Ohio native drove home a pair of winners on Wednesday night and sits at 2,995 career tallies.

A great weekend of harness racing kicks off on Friday night at Batavia Downs when a 12-race program gets underway at 6:25 p.m. The Pick-3 returns with a 50-cent minimum wager and a $1 minimum bet, starting in race 10.

On Saturday night, a super 13-race card is set highlighted by the 10th Annual $50,000 Robert J. Kane Memorial Pace along with the $12,500 Brian Schroeder Memorial Trot, the usual $10,000 Open Pace and a strong undercard.

The night will also feature $1 Sahlen's hot dogs, draft beer and soda and a Robert J. Kane Memorial Pace t-shirt giveaway.

Then on Monday, Columbus Day, a special matinee is on tap with post time slated for 1:15 p.m.

(Batavia Downs)