Sent off at 12-1, the lightly regarded Phil Your Boots made believers out of those doubters as he overcame a huge deficit at the half to win the $9,500 Open pacing feature at Batavia Downs on Saturday night (Oct. 10).
Off the wings, Cobble Beach (John Cummings Jr.) and Fireyourguns (Mike Caprio) both left in search of forward positioning. Jokerman (Jim McNeight), who had the pole, let Cobble Beach go while seating Fireyourguns. After all grabbed a spot, the single-file pack tripped the quarter in :28.4 and the half in :56.1. At this point, eventual winner Phil Your Boots (Drew Monti) was sitting last, 10-lengths off the lead behind a drifting and gapped Bakken (Ray Fisher Jr.).
Monti got his charge around the lagging horse and quickly caught the field. When Button Fly (Shawn McDonough) started an outer flow, Phil Your Boots followed second-over as they reached the three-quarters in 1:26.1. At the top of the stretch, Cobble Beach packed it in, but Fireyourguns still looked strong. Undaunted, Phil Your Boots tipped three-deep and put on a ferocious charge to just nose-out Fireyourguns in 1:54.2.
The win was the 10th win of the year for Phil Your Boots ($26.00) and among six out of his last eight. The winner’s share of the purse inflated his 2015 earnings to $43,750 for owner Lou Frascella. Carl Smith trains the winner.
Drew Monti scored a driving triple Saturday, winning with Phil Your Boots ($26.00), Rockstar Temper ($3.40) and The Battle Begins ($3.60) while Kevin Cummings, Shawn McDonough and Jim McNeight all registered driving doubles.
Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Monday (Oct. 12) with a special Columbus Day matinee card that gets underway at 1:15 p.m.
(With files from Batavia Downs)