Before returning last week, Little Santamonica hadn’t competed at Batavia Downs since early in the 2014 meet when she won back-to-back Open distaff races. It took her a week, but she regained her old form at the Genesee County oval on Wednesday night (Nov. 11) in winning the $10,000 Open Mares Pace.

Little Santamonica (Shawn McDonough) took a seat early and watched as three-straight winner Memumsnotnice (Kevin Cummings) battled her way to the lead in a swift :27 quarter over a track rated “good.” Then, as she has done for the past three weeks, Memumsnotnice proceeded to lead the field by a loose two lengths en route to tripping the three-quarters in 1:25.3.

At the top of the last turn, Ding (Jack Flanigen) took her best shot, getting almost alongside the leader. But that advance gave Little Santamonica, who had been locked in fourth, just enough room to swing off the pylons and tip three-deep. From there, McDonough needed little urging as the mare flew down the lane past the leader to win in 1:55.3.

The win was the 10th of the season for Little Santamonica ($7.40) and the winner’s share of the purse boosted her annual earnings to $79,735 for owner Jordan Hope, who also trains the mare.

McDonough scored the natural driving hat-trick in races five through seven with Enzo Seelster ($13.80), Red Clay ($2.70) and Little Santamonica ($7.40). Kevin Cummings, Ron Beback Jr. and Jim McNeight also scored driving doubles.

(With files from Batavia Downs)