Jim Morrill Jr. remained flaming hot at Batavia Downs after winning five more races on Saturday night (Nov. 6).
Morrill scored with Thedoginthefight (1:56.1, $2.90), Ginger Tree Lerue (1:56, $3.20), Bs Yankee (1:55.3, $2.60), Warrawee Shipshape (1:58.2, $2.70) and Ohio Prince (1:55.3, $4.10). Morrill is the runaway winner of the dash driving title this year at Batavia, already sporting a gaudy 104 wins — 58 ahead of the second-place Kevin Cummings. Morrill is also currently the seventh-best percentage driver in North America with a UDR of .392 for the year.
He didn’t have five wins Saturday, but the two that driver Dave McNeight III, aka “Triple Sticks”, did have came at the right time. McNeight won both the pacing feature with Mississippi Rabbit and the top trot with Lougazi and each victory occurred after getting away last off the gate.
First came the $13,500 Open I Handicap Pace where Mississippi Rabbit scored his second-straight top-class victory.
Matticulous GB fought hard with Art Scene for the lead but got it and took the field through splits of :27 and :56.3. At this point, Mississippi Rabbit was last and seven lengths behind. As the race passed the five-eighths, Stratosphere pulled first-over from fourth and Mississippi Rabbit accepted his cover.
Stratosphere drew even with Matticulous GB at three-quarters and the two paced in tandem around the last turn. At the top of the stretch, Stratosphere took the lead but Mississippi Rabbit was out three-wide and rolling. Heading for the line, there were four horses across the track with a shot at the “W”, but Mississippi Rabbit was doing the best work and he flew home to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:54.1.
Mississippi Rabbit ($29.80) claimed his eighth win of the year and bumped his income up to $91,090 for owner Rocco Stebbins. Joe Skowyra trains the Illinois-bred gelding.
Later, in the $13,500 Open I Handicap Trot, Lougazi scored his second win in his last three starts off a spirited stretch drive. Last weeks’ winner Mugshots Bro took his best shot again after getting the lead and walking to the half in :59.1. At that point, Lougazi had just pulled from last and flushed cover from Barn Hall, who was making his way up the rim.
Mugshots Bro was still trotting freely on the lead but the outer flow reached him at three-quarters and everything tightened from there. Around the turn, Barn Hall and Mugshots Bro were battling for supremacy and cutting breeze for Lougazi and coming off that bend, McNeight tipped Lougazi and gave the trotter his head. Lougazi was in full flight down the lane and marched smartly to the wire to win by a half length in 1:56.4.
Lougazi ($4.50) scored his 41st win and crossed the $300,000 mark in lifetime earnings, now with $303,486. Mary Warriner owns the Ryan Swift trained trotter.
When live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Wednesday (Nov. 10), there will be two carryovers on the betting menu. First in the Jackpot Pick-6 in Race 5, there is a carryover of $1,508. And then later in Race 10, the Jackpot Super Hi-5 has a carryover of $13,769.
Free full past performance program pages for all live Batavia Downs races can be downloaded at bataviadownsgaming.com under the live racing tab where they are always available for every live racing night at Batavia Downs.
And for those who can’t attend the races in person, a live stream of the entire night’s action will be available on the Batavia Downs YouTube channel.
Post time for the first race is 5 p.m. (EDT).
(Batavia Downs)