There were some scary-good performances put forth on Halloween night, Saturday, Oct. 31 Batavia Downs as Chamba and Thunder Country took the top-class races and driver Drew Monti reached home first five times.
Chamba (Joe Chindano Jr.) won the $18,750 Open Handicap Trot after taking the lead from post four and maintaining that position to the wire. Chamba reached the quarter in :28.2 and half in :58.2 before being challenged by Crazy Ritz (Jim McNeight Jr.) at five-eighths. Crazy Ritz rolled up the outside and got to Chamba’s wheel at three-quarters in 1:27.2, but Chamba stopped the advance by that foe and kept him a length off to the line for a 1:57.2 victory. Assiduous (Drew Monti) was third.
The win was the 20th lifetime in 129 starts for Chamba ($6.36), pushing his bankroll to $318,231. Chamba, a six-year-old gelded son of Cantab Hall-Springaround, is owned by Rock 01 Stable Inc. and trained by Jerry Nugent.
Thunder Country, trained and driven by Andy Shetler, pulled a 13-1 upset in the $18,750 Open Handicap Pace. The gelding was fifth to the quarter in :28.2 and half in :57.2 while More Than Ya Know (John Cummings Jr.) led the way. Moving onto the second circuit, Lip Reader A (Drew Monti) was first-over on the attack at three-quarters in 1:25.2 in an outer flow that had Thunder Country three back on the outside, still last of six. More Than Ya Know continued to lead around the last turn, but as they entered the lane, the entire field was stacking up behind him and gaining ground. All six horses were across the track at the line, separated by three-quarters of a length, and a photo revealed that Thunder Country had rallied from last to first to win by a neck in 1:54.4. Livonjaxandqueens (Denny Bucceri) finished second over Lip Reader A.
Thunder Country ($29.78) is now 19-for-143 lifetime with $442,872 in earnings. The seven-year-old son of Rockin Image-Happy Feet Too is owned by Shetler.
Batavia Downs' leading driver, Drew Monti, finished third in both Opens but tacked on five more tallies to his total on Saturday. Monti won with Silverhill Blaze (1:56, $6.54), Ideal Catch (1:56.4, $3.96), Pinebushdragonlife (1:54.1, $6.82), Sawyers Desire (1:54.4, $5.06) and Beantownboy (1:56.2, $2.98). Monti has amassed 118 wins at Batavia this year, leading second-placed Kevin Cummings by his total of 59.
Jennifer Petrelli and Sam Dilcher both had two training wins on the 12-race program.
Live racing will resume at Batavia Downs on Wednesday, Nov. 4 at 5 p.m. There will be a $28,787 carryover in the Jackpot Super Hi-5 pentafecta wager in the 12th race.
(Batavia Downs)