Fresh off a solid 1:52.3 win at Harrah’s Philadelphia the week before Christmas, Ambushed shipped-in to Batavia Downs on Monday, Jan. 6 for her 2025 debut and won the featured $18,841 Open Handicap Pace for fillies and mares, the race that headlined the opening card of the winter meet at the Genesee County oval.
Driver Joe Chindano Jr. got away last with Ambushed while Waitforever N (Brett Beckwith) took the lead from Oaxacan Dream N (Dave McNeight III) passing the :28.1 quarter, and then marched to the half in a middling :59 flat. Chindano then pulled Ambushed past that station and methodically made their way to the lead at the five-eighths pole. Moving up the backside, she crossed over to the pegs at three-quarters in 1:27.4 and then separated from the field in the final turn. Ambushed entered the stretch with a 1-1/2-length lead and rebuffed a late bid from Waitforever N to win by one length in 1:57 flat. Oaxacan Dream N was third.
Ambushed ($6.70), a five-year-old Always B Miki-Sweet Body mare, is owned by D Racing Stable and Donald MacRae, and is trained by Hunter Oakes.
Ambushed capped off a natural hat trick for Chindano in the sixth, seventh and eighth races, and was one of four victories he registered during the night. Those other three victors were Headline Maker (2:03, $50), Lydias Liberty (2:00.1, $12.20) and Shoreview (1:59.3, $10.40).
A similarly impressive mile on Monday, given the biting cold temperatures and snowglobe atmosphere the races were held in, was turned in by Maggie Bell (Brett Beckwith) in the mid-level $13,768 pace for distaff participants.
Maggie Bell sat second behind Hurrikane Msrodine (Kevin Cummings) until the quarter, where she pulled and took command at the top of the second turn. From there, Maggie Bell paced unfettered fractions of :58.3 and 1:27.4, and entered the stretch with a 1-1/2-length lead. From that point, she scooted home on top by two lengths in 1:57, matching the time of the feature race.
Owned by Delpozo Scwartz Paoleti and trained by Jaymes Mcassey, Maggie Bell returned $14 for the win.
Maggie Bell was one of three wins for Beckwith during the proceedings.
Other horsemen who had notable nights included driver Kevin Cummings and trainer Sam Smith, who teamed up to cross the line first with three of their starters, and Shawn McDonough, who was responsible for two driving wins and three training victories.
Live harness racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Thursday, Jan. 9 at 3 p.m. and there will be a $430 carryover in the Jackpot Super Hi-5 pentafecta in the 15th race.
(With files from Batavia Downs)