Owner-trainer Ronald Stebbins' Fifty Two Finn solidified his stock for being named Batavia Downs Casino trotter of the year when he went wire-to wire to notch his sixth win of the summer-fall meet, in the featured $8,880 Open trot, on Friday night
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John Cummings, Jr., who had four wins on the program, guided the classy 10-year-old Movie Mogul gelding to his 46th lifetime win, holding off a closing Justine Colleen (Jack Flanigen) by a head in 2:00.4, over a racetrack covered in snow.
Fifty Two Finn, who made his most recent start at Vernon Downs, was claimed for $15,000 back on September 10 at Tioga Downs. He’s over $60,000 in seasonal earnings and his lifetime bankroll is more than $440,000. He returned $4.90 to win going off as the public choice.
Betty Tauber's Artistry In Rhythm ($6.40) held off The Grey Filly (Ron Beback, Jr.) in deep stretch to win the co-featured $8,500 Filly and Mares Open pace by a neck in 1:59.2.
The eight-year-old Real Desire mare won for the 11th time this season and raised her 2010 earnings to more than $82,000. Ken Holliday was in the bike for his wife Sherri.
After 69 programs of harness racing the battle for the 2010 Downs' training title couldn’t be any closer. Sherri Holliday, last year's Downs leading conditioner, doubled up on the Friday evening program to tie Ron Beback, Jr. with 57 wins each. In fact, their win percentages are identical at 23 per cent.
With only three more racing nights left in the 2010 campaign, Kevin Cummings maintains a five win lead over Jack Flanigen in the race for dash driving honors. Cummings, last year's Downs top driver and Flanigen, recently named Upstate New York Chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association Western New York Driver of the Year, each drove a pair of winners on Friday program.
The 64th season at America’s oldest lighted harness track continues on Saturday night (Nov.27). Post time is 6:40 p.m.
(Batavia Downs Casino)