Despite her current sharp racing form, Louie The Lilac was grossly overlooked at the windows and sent off at 21-1. However the punter’s snub didn’t faze “Louie” as she blew up the tote board after winning the $17,568 Open Handicap pace for fillies and mares at Batavia Downs on Wednesday (Oct. 2) evening.
Louie The Lilac (Shawn McDonough) got away fourth as Won Surreal Deal (Kyle Cummings), Its Corona Time (Joe Chindano Jr.) and Oaxacan Dream N (Dave McNeight III) all left and paced three abreast around the first turn. As they headed up the backstretch, Its Corona Time opted out to third while Oaxacan Dream N forged ahead for a long journey as Won Surreal Deal owned the lead at the pegs and wasn’t going to relent. These top two paced to the half in :55.1 before Oaxacan Dream N began to tire from the airing.
As the race approached five-eighths, Louie The Lilac tipped out from third and drew alongside Its Corona Time as both were still chasing Won Surreal Deal heading to three-quarters. Won Surreal Deal opened up two lengths in the last turn, where Louie The Lilac pulled ahead of Its Corona Time and then went back to the pylons. At the top of the stretch, McDonough dipped Louie The Lilac into the passing lane and bolted past the tiring Won Surreal Deal to win by a length in a season’s best, 1:54.1.
Louie The Lilac ($45.80) is owned by Mike Torcello and trained by Sam Smith.
McDonough, Smith and Torcello also won the $14,865 fillies and mares conditioned pace with True That, who came from nowhere to swoop the group.
True That got away sixth while Shooting Brooke (Joe Chindano Jr.) marched off quarters of :27.3, :56.4 and 1:25.4. At that last station, Dark Eclipse N (Drew Monti) tipped from second to go after the leader and True That was still sixth and third-over in the outer flow. At the top of the stretch, Dark Eclipse N took the lead and looked like a winner. But True That came from the clouds, five wide in the middle of the track and zoomed by everyone to win at the line in 1:55.3.
The win was the third win in a row for True That ($11.20).
Besides the two top paces, the owner/trainer combination of Torcello and Smith also lit up the board two other times on Wednesday, as their barn continues to be red hot. Joining their stablemates Louie The Lilac and True That in victory were Scenic Adventure (1:55.1, $3.60) and Stonebridge Hypnos (1:56, $3,50).
Drew Monti was a wizard at the reins on Wednesday, scoring a grand slam during the night, including a natural hat trick in races 12, 13 and 14. Monti won with Bet Im Lucky (1:56, $17.60), Embrace The Rust (2:01.4, $8.70), Shake Me Loose (1:57.1, $5.20) and the already mentioned Stonebridge Hypnos.
Monti now sits one win shy of career win 2,500, which he has an excellent chance of getting this Friday (Oct. 4) when live racing resumes at Batavia Downs at 6 p.m. Friday will also feature a $1,115 carryover and the Jackpot Super Hi-5 pentafecta in the 14th race.
(Batavia Downs)