Batavia Downs, America’s oldest lighted harness racetrack, concluded its 66th season on December 8 with significant increases in wagering handle over 2011.

Export handle rose a staggering 53 per cent, while all-sources handle increased by 14 per cent. On track, attendance was up .5 per cent while on-track handle decreased by 5 per cent.

“We had more outlets taking our signal this year but to be up over 50 per cent says a lot about how well-received our product was,” said Batavia Downs General Manager, Todd Haight. “There’s no doubt our earlier post time was also a factor as well.”

There were plenty of memorable performances as six track records were rewritten:

Hambletonian entrant Archangel, with Jim Morrill Jr. in the sulky, crushed the all-age trotting benchmark with a mile of 1:54.3. In also setting the sophomore trotting mark, Archangel shaved nearly two seconds off Earl’s mark of 1:56.1 record.

Also on the trotting side, Cowgirl Hall (1:57.2) lowered the three-year-old filly record and Escrow Bluechip (1:57.3) established a new mark for aged mares.

Not to be upstaged, two pacers also entered the record book. Doctor Butch lowered the two-year-old colt and gelding mark to 1:54.2 while Up Front Kellie Jo became the fastest aged pacing mare when she sizzled the oval in 1:53.4.

Shawn Gray was new to Western New York in 2012, arriving from Maine, but he finished the year as the circuit’s top driver. He won the title at Buffalo Raceway and kept right on winning at Batavia Downs. He won the driver’s title with 131 victories, and his drives earned $710,993, the second highest ever in the history of Batavia Downs.

Dan Noble, who missed a portion of the meet when driving in Ohio, finished second with 122 wins while 2003 leading driver Jim McNeight was third at 89.

Trainer Bobbi Jo Martin scored her first-ever Downs training title, leading all conditioners with 49 victories and purse earnings of $234,365. David McNeight Jr. was second with 42 winners, one more than Jim Graham.

Career driving milestones were attained by Jack Flanigen (4,000 victories) and Noble (3,000).

Pending New York State Racing and Wagering Board approval, the 67th season will commence on July 22, 2013.

(With files from Batavia Downs)