After three unsuccessful starts in the track’s top class for female pacers, Mcnatural L got the job done at long odds in her fourth attempt in the $15,000 Distaff Open I Handicap on Wednesday night (Dec. 6) at Batavia Downs.
Dave McNeight III put Mcnatural L in the pocket behind Won Surreal Deal (Kyle Cummings), who was busy on top stepping quarters of :28.3, :57.4 and 1:26, basically unchallenged the entire time. Mcnatural L continued to draft Won Surreal Deal around the last turn but when they hit the stretch, she sprung into action. McNeight popped the deuce and heavily urged Mcnatural L past Won Surreal Deal and hit the line first by three-quarters of a length in 1:55 to spring the upset.
Mcnatural L ($19.60) registered her eighth win of the year for owner El Dorado Stable and trainer Amanda Arrigenna.
The Downs' top two trainers entered Wednesday’s card tied with 41 wins apiece and they have been so hard to pull away from each other of late, they even had a dead heat in the fourth race. Sam Smith started Authentic Hanover and Shawn McDonough had Thatmomentinlife and after battling for the last three-eighths of the mile, both hit the wire together in 1:57.2. Authentic Hanover (Kevin Cummings, $2.10) is owned by Mike Torcello and Thatmomentinlife (Brett Beckwith, $2.10) is owned by Ben Ortiz.
Smith also won with Mcdelicacy (1:58, $107.50) and McDonough won with Imprincessgemma A (1:55.3, $2.90) so they remained tied for the training crown heading into the final night.
Last year’s Trotter of the Meet at Batavia Downs was CR Blazin Beauty and she hit two career marks after winning the sixth race on Wednesday. As the nine-year-old mare’s 60th lifetime win, it pushed her over a half-million dollar mark in career earnings and she now boasts $500,805 in the bank. CR Blazin Beauty is owned by Marissa Russo and trained by Dave Russo.
Kyle Cummings led all drivers on Wednesday with three wins while trainer Chris Petrelli joined Smith and McDonough with two wins of his own.
The final night of live racing of the 2023 meet at Batavia Downs is Saturday, Dec. 9 and that is when live action will resume with a big 15-race card with a $1,031 carryover in the Jackpot Hi-5 pentafecta wager in that 15th race. And since Saturday is the final night of the meet, both the Pick-5 in race one and the Hi-5 in race 15 will both be “must pay” wagering events. All the racing action starts at 6 p.m.
Saturday is also the Upstate New York Chapter of the United States Harness Writer’s Night of Distinction awards presentation that will take place trackside between the races.
(Batavia Downs)