It wasn't a stakes race. It wasn't even the feature race but three-year-old filly pacer L Diz opened some eyes at Batavia Downs Monday night, winning the fifth race in a sizzling 1:54.2.
It was the fourth fastest mile ever for a three-year-old pacing filly in Batavia Downs' history. It wasn't anywhere near the track record, however. The all-time track mark for three-year-old pacing fillies is 1:52.4 set by New Album in 2011.
L Diz has been racing in the New York Sires Stakes and Excelsior Series for the most part this season but found the $5,800 winners of four but not more than eight to her liking.
With Shawn Gray in the sulky, L Diz ($2.70) cut fractions of :27.2, :56.3 and 1:25.1 enroute to the 1:54.2 mile. It was good enough to hold off the challenge of runner-up, Two Step Turn, who just was a diminishing half-length back at the wire.
L Diz is owned by Ted Cupp of Ovid, NY and trained by Jim Graham, who had a training double. It was the fourth win of the season for L Diz and moved her seasonal winnings to over $36,000.
Gray, Batavia's leading driver with 10 wins during the opening week of the Summer-Fall meet, was also on fire with five wins on the night. Kevin Cummings and Dave McNeight III produced a double as well to highlight the driver's action.
Bobbi Jo Martin had a training double along with Graham.
In the feature, Cashmandu ($8.00) sat seventh but tipped three-wide down the backstretch and took the $6,000 pace in 1:55.4 for Kevin Cummings. Cashmandu is trained by James Compton and owned by Sandy and James Compton of East Bethany, NY.
The New York Sire Stakes season continues at the nation's oldest lighted harness track on Wednesday night when two-year colt and gelding pacers square off in three divisions worth over $36,000 each.
(Batavia Downs)