The featured race at Batavia Downs on Monday, Oct. 12 was the $19,286 Open Handicap Pace for fillies and mares and for the second time in as many starts, Grannys Watching won with a solid performance.
Grannys Watching, driven by Shawn McDonough, went right to the front and set quarters of :28.1, :58.2 and 1:27.1, before seeing a challenge of any kind. And that challenge came from Utopia Blue Chip (Dale Spence), who paced alongside the leader from three-quarters and around the last turn. But Grannys Watching was up to the task as she turned back Utopia Blue Chip and then held off Gentrify (Brett MacDonald) in deep stretch to win by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:56.3. Utopia Blue Chip held sway for the third spot.
The win was the eighth of the year in 28 for Grannys Watching ($6.10), a five-year-old Hes Watching-Granny Pants mare owned by her trainer, Taylor Fritz of Amherstburg, Ont., in partnership with Hartel Maintenance of Guelph, Ont.
In the undercard $15,000 A-B Handicap Pace for fillies and mares, Wicked Beauty A also made it two in a row after putting on quite a show in victory. Driven by Ray Fisher Jr., Wicked Beauty A cut the mile in :27.4, :56.2 and 1:24.3, while extending her lead to seven open lengths. By the top of the stretch, Wicked Beauty was nine lengths clear and darted home much the best to win in 1:54.4. Mcvera (Shawn McDonough) was second, with Face The Shadows (Brett MacDonald) finishing third.
Wicked Beauty A ($3.60), a five-year-old daughter of McWicked and Tralee Bromac, is trained by Maria Rice and owned by Adelphi Ventures of Oneida, New York.
Live harness racing will resume at Batavia Downs on Wednesday, Oct. 14 at 3 p.m. and there will be a $16,925 USD carryover in the Jackpot Super Hi-5 pentafecta wager in the 11th race.
(With files from Batavia Downs; photo of Grannys Watching winning on Oct. 12)