Kahoku abandoned his usual front-running style to find the winner's circle in the $10,500 Open Handicap Trot at Batavia Downs on Friday night (November 3).
Osprey Vision (Ray Fisher Jr.) and Noble Legend (Billy Davis Jr.) both left hard and battled for the lead in a two-horse breakaway. When they reached the quarter in :28.1, Osprey Vision had seated Noble Legend while the rest of the field finally caught up. Positions then remained unchanged to the half producing a tepid :30 split.
As the group entered the second circuit, Empire Earl N (Larry Stalbaum) started an outer flow with Kahoku (Kevin Cummings) on his back. By the three-quarter pole, Empire Earl N had enough and stalled, prompting Cummings to tip Kahoku three-wide. Kahoku took well to the move and continued to motor after clearing at the head of the lane, eventually sprinting clear by a length of the fast-closing BZ Glide (Mike Caprio) to win in 1:58.2.
The win was the 38th lifetime for Kahoku ($19.80) and it pushed him over the quarter-million dollar mark in lifetime earnings with $253,015 now on his card.
Colleen Girdlestone owns Kahoku, who is trained by Priscilla "Sis" Mooney.
In the co-featured $8,000 Open II Trot, Fox Valley Veto (Billy Davis Jr.) turned a perfect two-hole trip behind Lutetium (Kevin Cummings) into an easy brush to the wire win in 1:58. Fox Valley Veto ($4.40) is owned by Vogel and Wags Nags Stable and Jack Rice and is trained by Maria Rice.
Larry Stalbaum led all drivers for production on Friday with four wins on the night.
Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Saturday afternoon (November 4) with a special Breeders' Cup post time of 3:15 p.m.
(Batavia Downs)