"He's earned it and we can't deny him his retirement," said co-owner Sandra Compton, as she spoke of the official retirement of one of western New York's all-time favourite horses, Michael Scores.
Batavia Downs will honour the 12-year-old pacer on Saturday night (October 5) as Michael Scores will make one last appearance on the track. He will lead a classy field of seven through the post parade for the 11th annual $50,000 Robert J. Kane Memorial Pace, a race he won back in 2006 with a record time of 1:52.1.
"He's had a lot of aches and pains and we refuse to have him do what he's really not good at anymore," Sandy said of the retiring Michael Scores, who she co-owns along with her husband, Jim. "We don't want to hurt him so we decided to pull the plug on his career. He can relax now."
Jim added, "This is a process of racing. I've got mixed feelings. I hate to see him go, but horses have to retire sometime and it's his time."
It's been a great career for Michael Scores, a homebred that has spent his entire life in the Compton’s barn. He never had a start in a claiming race in his 275 career outings where he was victorious 86 times while finishing in the money on another 74 occasions. His career earnings are $668,079 and he set track records at Buffalo Raceway, Batavia Downs and Tioga Downs along the way. His lifetime best was 1:50.4 at Tioga Downs back in 2007.
Michael Scores’ best year came in 2006 when he won 17 of 34 races, put $106,590 in the bank and won the Robert J. Kane Memorial Pace. "We've talked about that race many times," Sandy said. "He beat some pretty good horses that night."
Jim said, "That ‘Kane’ race was one of the more memorable ones for me. He had a lot of great races over the years, including the sire stakes (New York Sire Stakes), but setting the Batavia track record in 1:52 and a piece is one I won't forget."
And while Michael Scores calls it a career this season, he still did managed two victories in 2013, as he won twice at Buffalo Raceway in six starts including a sharp 1:55.4 mile.
The Comptons gave driver Kevin Cummings a lot of credit for Michael Scores success. "Kevin knew him like the back of his hand,” Sandy stated. “He knew how to get the best out of Michael.”
And when Michael Scores steps out on the Batavia Downs track for the last time on Saturday night, Sandy said with a touch of sadness in her voice, "I am going to be very happy for him. He's been unbelievable...a blessing, a wonderful horse."
She added, "He's loving his retirement right now. He goes out after eating his grains in the morning and just seems to be enjoying everything."
And Jim Compton said in closing about Michael Scores, "He has a home with me as long as I have a home."
Enjoy your retirement Michael Scores. It is well earned and deserved.
First-race post time on Saturday night is 6:30 p.m.
(Batavia)