Batavia Downs leading driver Drew Monti showed why he is on top after winning five more races on Wednesday, Oct. 23. His haul included the featured $16,667 Open Handicap Pace for fillies and mares with Ontario-trained Dance Ticket, who waltzed her way back to The Downs after two unsuccessful starts at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
During a torrential downpour, Monti put Dance Ticket on the point and she became the commander of fractions for the entire mile. After pacing through panels of :28, :57.1 and 1:25.2 with a gapped advantage and no credible challenges from behind, Dance Ticket rounded the final bend, entered the stretch with a 2-1/2-length lead and easily made her way to the line where she won in 1:54.3, only one-fifth of a second off her lifetime mark.
The win was the seventh of the year rom 19 starts for Dance Ticket ($11.40), a five-year-old daughter of Rocknroll Dance-Thats The Ticket who is trained by Garry Merner Jr. and owned by Mike Flynn of Waterloo, Ont.
Monti rounded out his five-bagger with wins behind VJ Panderosa (1:57.4, $29), Silverhill Blaze (1:57.2, $2.10), Our Night Fury (2:01.3, $6.40) and Shake Me Loose (1:56, $3.10).
After Wednesday night's action, Monti now has 75 wins at the current Batavia meet and sits ahead of his nearest competitors, Joe Chindano Jr. (69), Kevin Cummings (64) and Dave McNeight III (60).
Another Ontario invader from the Merner stable, Shesasharpshooter ($6.90), won the first of two $13,194 mid-level condition races by going gate to wire in 1:54 in rein to Jim McNeight Jr. Shesasharpshooter is owned by Gino Toscani of Mont Hope, Ont.
The other division was also won in gate-to-wire fashion by Celia Bayama ($3.20), who pulled away by three and tripped the beam in 1:56.2 for driver Joe Chindano Jr. Celia Bayama is trained by Chris Petrelli and owned by Jean-Francois Reid of Anjou, Que.
Chindano ended the night with three wins while Petrelli bagged two of his own. Trainer Andy Torre also had two wins on Wednesday.
Live harness racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Friday, Oct. 25 with post time at 6 p.m. and there will be a $656 carryover in the Jackpot Super Hi-5 pentafecta in the 12th race.
(With files from Batavia Downs)