'Blondes' do have more fun...at least one did at Batavia Downs on Wednesday night (Dec. 4).
Regally Blonde ($34.80), the co-longest shot on the board, used a strong drive in the stretch and won the $8,500 Fillies and Mares Open in 1:57.1 over a fast track. She defeated the front-running Red Star Fiona (Ray Fisher Jr.) by two lengths while Athleticlyinclined (Jack Flanigen) finished third.
Sitting sixth on the inside at the half, Batavia Downs' leading driver Shawn McDonough managed to shake free with Regally Blonde at the three-quarter pole and fanned out three-wide down the stretch to overtake Red Star Fiona. She put up a :29-second last quarter to surge to the victory.
Trained by Jim Graham, the four-year-old mare Regally Blonde (Stonebridge Regal-Highly Charged) has now won five times this season in 26 starts, improving her bankroll to $23,081 in 2013 and $96,419 lifetime. She is owned by Eileen Dee, Deborah Dressler, James Kibler and Henry Czechowski.
Todd and Lon Frocione made a $5,000 donation and Michael and Howard Ouriel made a $3,500 donation in Wednesday to the 'Stay Strong Anthony Coletta' fund, which pushed the fundraising total to $12,885 from Batavia Downs' employees, trainers, owners, drivers and fans.
The final weekend of action kicks off on Friday night with a 12-race program. The highlight of the card will be the $8,500 Open Trot where Lutetium will score from the four post as the 5-2 morning line favourite. Jack Flanigen is scheduled to drive.
(With files from Batavia Downs)