The seven divisional finals of the 2016 Batavia Downs Claiming Championship Series will be contested this Saturday (Nov. 12) and the participants will be vying for purses totaling $125,000.

The claiming series was point-based and broken down by gait and claiming price and the accrual of points was on a monthly basis. Divisions included $4,000, $5,000-$6,000 and $8,000-$10,000 claimers on the pace and $4,000-$5,000 and $7,500-$10,000 claimers on the trot. Points were awarded to the top-five finishers of each race and accrued monthly.

The eight horses from each class category that made final were comprised of the top three point earners from August, (July 25-August 31) and September (September 1-30), and the top two point earners in October (October 1-31).

In the finals, the $4,000-$5,000 categories will compete for $15,000 and all other categories will vie for $20,000.

“This is the biggest non-stakes event ever held at Batavia Downs,” said Todd Haight, director/general manager of live racing at Batavia Downs. "The $125,000 being offered in these events will be competed for and won by our resident horsemen and that is good for the local racing scene.”

The top two events are the $7,500-$10,000 claiming trot and the $8,000-$10,000 claiming pace, both going for a purse of $20,000.

In the $20,000 trot, 10-time 2016 winner Love U Forever has been made the early 8-5 choice. The four-year-old Andover Hall mare has most recently won in Open III conditioned company in 1:59.3 after getting away poorly with interference. She has won three out of her last five starts and her only bad outing during that time was over a ‘sloppy’ track.

Love U Forever’s regular driver, Jim Morrill Jr., will again steer in this event from Post 3 for trainer David Weston.

Socks N Shuzy is the 5-2 second choice and was a beaten favourite in her last race at the $10,000 claiming level. She got away poorly from Post 6 and was 13 lengths off the leader at the quarter. But after fading to last before the last turn, Socks N Shuzy brushed home sharply and was only three lengths shy of the winner in a 1:59.1 mile. Starting from Post 4, Ray Fisher Jr. drives for trainer Priscilla Mooney.

In the $20,000 pace, Bazooka drew Post 1 and was made the 5-2 early favourite by the track handicapper. Although he only won two races all year, they came in succession just three weeks ago, and his form has been maintained ever since. After competing in $10,000 and $15,000 claimers the last three weeks, he comes into the race sharp and ready. Bradley Jackson drives and trains the six-year-old Sportsmaster gelding.

The 3-1 second choice is Cheyenne Louie who is taking a major class drop for this event. His last two starts were in $20,000 claiming races where he drew consecutive outside posts. And before that at the $15,000 claiming level, he won over a ‘sloppy’ track in 1:54.4 handily, going wire to wire. That clocking was also his seasonal best time. John Cummings Jr., who drove him to that win, is aboard again for trainer JD Perrin.

The claiming series divisions are carded as race one, two, three, four, six, 11 and 12. Post time for the first race is 6:15 p.m.

(Batavia Downs)