The 2020 racing season got underway at Batavia Downs on Wednesday (July 29), with only owners on hand to watch the action. But absent a crowd and the usual fanfare, the horses showed up and took full advantage of a lightning fast track.
A pair of $10,000 Open events headlined the card, and the winners of each took a new seasonal mark for their efforts.
In the Open I Trot, Il Mago (Jim Morrill Jr.) proved he was the best on the grounds this week after making every step from gate to wire a winning one.
Morrill shot Il Mago off the gate and to the front, and the race could have been called at that point. Trotting like a loose horse on the point, Il Mago went quarters of :28.1, :57.1 and 1:26 while extending his lead at each station. With only Chuckabuck (Drew Monti) remotely close, Il Mago was up by 3-1/2 lengths at the top of the stretch and rolled home in front by 4-1/4 in 1:56.3.
It was the third win in the last four starts at three different tracks for the classy Il Mago ($2.80), who now has 49 career wins and $869,373 in earnings. The son of Kadabra and Northern Style is owned by Mike Torcello and trained by Gerry Sarama.
The Fillies and Mares Open I was also contested, and Julios Girl (Dave McNeight III) upset the apple cart for the second straight week.
HP Sissy (Morrill) left best and Lady London (Ray Fisher Jr.) followed while the rest of the field followed in post position order. After HP Sissy got to the half in :56.3, McNeight pulled Julios Girl first-over entering the third turn and started the outside grind toward the leader. After a quarter mile in the breeze, Julios Girl got even with HP Sissy at the top of the stretch and then paced clear down the lane to win by a length in 1:54.2, holding off a late rush from Protect Blue Chip (Billy Davis Jr.) and Gias Surreal (John Cummings Jr.) in the process.
After returning $33.60 in victory last week, Julios Girl blew up the tote board again in her seventh win of the year and rewarded her backers with $35.20 this week at Batavia. Julios Girl is owned by William Emmons and is trained by Jim Clouser Jr.
Jim Morrill Jr. Had the hot hand in the bike on opening night, scoring a grand slam during the evening. Besides the already mentioned Il Mago, Morrill also won with Lyra (1:55.2, $4.90), Leaderofthepack (1:59.4, $4.00) and Edom Up Blue Boy (1:58.4, $2.30).
Dave McNeight III and Billy Davis Jr. also had productive nights, getting three wins each on the card.
Trainers Gerry Sarama and Jim Clouser Jr. led all conditioners with two wins apiece.
Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Friday (July 31), with post time at 5 p.m.
(Batavia Downs)