Every October, Batavia Downs partners with the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester to raise both funds and awareness during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, in an attempt to fight a disease that will affect one in eight women during their lifetime. And this year, the event known as “A Night at the Races,” will be held on Saturday, Oct. 17 and feature a new attraction.
The Sulky Queens Lady Driving Series will visit the track on Saturday with eight female drivers competing in two races, one that features only horses entered by local female trainers. These races are programmed as race four and six.
This is the second annual tour the Sulky Queens are on and include a seven-track schedule featuring talented women drivers from across North America. Batavia Downs is the third stop of that tour, which also includes The Meadows, Northfield Park, Harrah’s Philadelphia, Rosecroft Raceway, The Meadowlands and Shenandoah Downs, where their season concludes on Saturday, Oct. 24.
The roster of lady drivers appearing at Batavia Downs on Saturday include Candace Brandstatter-Hall, Julia Eaton, Lauren Harmon, Leslie Joyce, Veronica Merton, Marianna Monaco, Nicky Ratledge and Victoria Stratton. Some have been driving longer than others, but all are accomplished horsewomen who also train regularly at their home tracks. The group is also diverse in age, ranging from 26 to 59, and that shows the generational ties harness racing has to its participants. Plus, all the drivers will be donating their proceeds from the races they compete in to help support the cause.
Candace Brandstatter-Hall is from Batavia, New York and competes regularly at Batavia Downs and just got her first pari-mutuel driving win last October at Batavia. Brandstatter-Hall also trains and has 513 career wins.
Julia Eaton is from Mendon, Massachusetts and earned her first pari-mutuel victory earlier this year at Plainridge Park. Eaton’s lifetime training numbers show 87 wins.
Lauren Harmon is from Brooklyn, Michigan and has 63 driving wins and 26 training wins lifetime.
Leslie Joyce is from Lebanon, Ohio and has 16 driving wins and 133 career training wins.
Veronica Merton is from Hurleyville, New York and has 29 driving wins. As a trainer, Merton has won 273 races.
Marianna Monaco is from Oakland, Maine and has won 16 races. Monaco has 101 training wins lifetime.
Nicky Ratledge is from Dover, Delaware and has four wins in the sulky with 83 training wins overall.
Victoria Stratton is from Goshen, New York and has won seven races in the bike. Stratton’s training record includes 48 wins.
The sixth race will feature all woman trained horses and include entrants from the stables of Tammy Cummings, Taylor Fritz, Cassandra Johnson, Lisa Mariacher, Cassie Russo, Ryan Swift, Kristen Torre, Courtney Wright. Sheena Cohen and Rachelle Mungillo have horses entered in the first Sulky Queens race in the fourth. These 10 represent the 17 lady trainers currently competing regularly at Batavia Downs.
After the sixth race, cancer survivors will be recognized in the winner's circle on the track.
As an added reminder of the importance of this event, the entire half-mile track has been encircled in pink, just inside the pylons, to illustrate there is a greater race to win than the one on the track. It’s the race to find a cure for breast cancer.
The fundraiser will be held in the clubhouse and tickets were $40 USD each and include a delicious buffet, $25 USD in free play on the gaming floor and a racing program. Seating in the clubhouse is now completely sold out, but all the basket raffles will be available to anyone attending the races and all are encouraged by event organizers to stop by and donate what they can to help out.
Last year’s event at Batavia Downs raised $22,836 USD and the hope is that everyone’s hard work on the 2026 Night at the Races will result in a much greater number.
Post time for the first race is 5 p.m.
(With files from Batavia Downs; photo of Candace Brandstatter-Hall)