A large crowd thanks to Old Fashion night saw R C Cruiser shoot to the lead from the starting gate and never look back after that in capturing the featured $9,000 Open Pace at Batavia Downs on Saturday night (August 11).
With driver Jim McNeight in the sulky, R C Cruiser ($11.20) left from post position two and set fractions of :28.1, :58.2, 1:26.2 en route to a 1:54.3 mile. It was a solid back half mile of :56.1 over the fast track, which kept any threats from materializing.
Unicorn Hanover (Robert Verney) was first over just past the quarter pole and tried to get to R C Cruiser, but never posed a serious threat and came up a length short at the wire to finish second. Spender Hanover (Dave McNeight III) placed third.
The win was the second in the last three starts in the Open for R C Cruiser, who is trained by Jerry Nugent Jr. The victory was R C Cruiser's fourth of the season and pushed his seasonal earnings to $43,188 for owner Franklin Meier of West Seneca, New York.
Running Book ($12.60) rallied in mid-stretch to catch pacesetter Cam Patch to win the $7,800 Open II Pace in 1:54.4.
(Batavia Downs)