It was a busy night at Batavia Downs on Friday, December 4, as UNY-USHWA passed out 11 year-end awards to both equine and human recipients. Most of the winners were announced beforehand, but the driver and trainer of the meet and of the year were not disclosed until after the ninth race.
Kevin Cummings took home Driver of the Meet for Batavia Downs and Driver of the Year in Western New York.
The 39-year-old reinsman has had a tremendous year in 2009, as he steered his mounts to 263 wins and over $1.1 million in purse earnings.
Despite missing some time due to an early-season spill, Cummings won his first-ever Batavia driving title, as he won 115 races. His Universal Driver Rating is an impressive .327 and his $517,000 in purse earnings is the second best of all time at America’s oldest lighted track, behind only Jim Morrill, Jr., who set the record of $802,000 back in 2005.
Cummings began his driving career in 1989 and has won 1,785 races with over $5.8 million in career earnings.
Kevin Cummings is the younger brother of driver John Cummings, Jr. and son of high percentage trainer John Cummings, Sr.
Sherri Holliday was named the Trainer of the Meet for Batavia Downs and Trainer of the Year in Western New York.
To this point this year, the powerful Sherri Holliday stable has won 152 races and her trainees have earned over $678,000.
Taking home her first ever Batavia Downs training title, Holliday has won 66 races with a win percentage of 25%. Her stable has earnings of $226,000 and her Universal Trainer Rating is a very solid .368.
What made her Batavia Downs meet so impressive was the fact that her regular driver, husband Ken 'Doc' Holliday, was out for the first six weeks of the meet due to an injury. In the winners circle she acknowledged the excellent driving efforts of Robert Verney and Tom Agosti, who filled in catch-driving while her husband was out. Holliday is the trainer of the Betty Tauber Stable, which was named Owner of the Year.
Throughout her career, which started in 2004, Sherri has won 560 races and her barn has earned almost $3 million in purses.
Members of the Chapter who were in attendance for the presentations included Jason Settlemoir, Sam Pendolino, Todd Haight, Brian Mazurek, and Tim Bojarski.
Log on to upstatenyushwa.com and click the link for the 'Night of Distinction' to see all the awards presentation pictures (courtesy of Paul White) from the winner's circle and also view video of all the proceedings of each individual award.
UNY-USHWA would like to thank Marty Basinait, Mike Kane, and the staff at Batavia Downs for their help with this great night of recognition for the hard working horsemen and women that drive the racing industry in western New York.
(USHWA)