Winning two races in a row for the second time in his last six starts, Fox Valley Veto claimed top weekly trotting honours once again at Batavia Downs after winning the $10,000 Open Handicap on Friday night (December 8) in rein to Billy Davis Jr.
Empire Earl N (Larry Stalbaum) went for the lead and took the field to the half in :58.1. At that station, Fox Valley Veto pulled first-over from third and went right up to challenge the front-runner.
Fox Valley Veto took command by the three-quarters, moving back to the pylons and stretching out to a two-length advantage. Around the last turn, Empire Earl N was trying to keep up but his race was run and Fox Valley Veto had won; wrapped up under the wire in 1:57.1.
The win was the seventh of the year for Fox Valley Veto ($7.40) and it pushed his earnings to $60,837 for owners Vogel & Wags Nags and Jack Rice. Maria Rice does the training.
Then it was bombs away in the co-featured $8,000 Open II Trot when 17-1 Courts N Session (Shawn McDonough) came from mid-pack at three-quarters to tip three-deep at the head of the lane and catch heavily favoured Osprey Vision (Ray Fisher Jr.) in deep stretch to win by a neck in 1:59.4.
Owned by Marie Houghtaling and trained by Ron Houghtaling, Courts N Session scored his fifth win of the year and paid $37.80.
The Downs leading driver Larry Stalbaum scored four more wins Friday, pushing his meet-leading total to 126. Ray Fisher Jr., who currently sits in second, had two wins and now has 121 victories at Batavia.
Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Saturday (December 9) at 6 p.m.
(With files from Batavia Downs)