Six of Western New York’s best pacers assembled behind the Ken Barrett starting gate for the weekly $9,250 Open Pace and it was Southwind Whiski who rode the trend of the racetrack to score a head victory on Saturday night (Nov.8) at Batavia Downs.

Leaving from post three, Southwind Whiski, with the red-hot Drew Monti in the bike, fired off the wings and took the lead as the field straightened out heading to the opening quarter. Once in front, Southwind Whiski and Monti made every pole a winning one to hold off the pocket-sitting Winter Cruise (John Cummings Jr.) in 1:55.4. Favourite Unicorn Hanover (Jim Morrill Jr.), forced to tip three-wide behind stalled cover around the last turn, rallied for third.

Clearly the top end was the place to be on Saturday night as nine of the 12 races were won in wire-to-wire fashion.

Southwind Whiski, a six-year-old Bettors Delight gelding, is owned by Thatsideofthefence LLC and trainer John Mungillo. Southwind Whiski notched his sixth win of the season and raised his 2014 earnings to over $34,000.

Saturday night saw Drew Monti and Jim Morrill Jr. both score hat tricks while Dave McNeight III and John Cummings Jr. each had driving doubles.

One of the biggest claims in the history of the Western New York circuit occurred in race five when Sidney Easton reached in and claimed Leonard Segall’s three-year-old American Ideal gelding, American Bull, for $22,500. Anthony Cummings is the new trainer.

Racing resumes on Wednesday night, November 12, with carryovers in both the Pick 5 and Pick 6 wager. The Pick 5, which starts in race five, has carryover pool of $1,186 while the Pick 6, that kicks off on race seven, has a carryover pool of $1,353. Post time is 6:35 p.m.

(Batavia Downs)