Grand Sun Stable’s Western Truth, made the transition from the claiming ranks to the Open Pace a winning one when he scored a convincing length and one-half victory Saturday night at Batavia Downs Casino
The featured pace of the week provided a purse of $8,100 for eight of Western New York’s best sidewheelers. When the dust settled it was the horse that was claimed for $10,000 back on October 1 that took home the top prize.
With a strong backstretch brush, Western Truth and Ray Fisher Jr. were able to wrestle command from the front running Bettors Reward (Jack Flanigen) and go on to a 1:55.1 score for his 10th win of the season. Bettors Reward dug in once he surrendered the lead to hold second while Spender Hanover (Dave McNeight III), who sat the two–hole for the first 5/8th’s of a mile, wound up third.
Western Truth, a four-year-old altered son of Western Hanover, raised his 2011 bankroll to $53,596 for trainer Gerry Sarama.
Reinsman Kevin Cummings had the hot hand guiding home four winners on the Saturday program while Shawn McDonough and Jim McNeight had doubles.
The Pick 6 went unhit once again leaving a carryover pool of $2,755 when racing resumes on Wednesday night.
Batavia Downs Casino is currently racing Wednesday-Friday-Saturday nights. Post time is 6:40 p.m. There are only nine more nights remaining in the 2011 season.
(Batavia Downs)