Starbux Eden pulled the pocket midway down the stretch and pulled away late to score a length victory over Sharp Lady in the $7,200 Fillies and Mares Open Trot at Batavia Downs on Friday night.
Sharp Lady set the tempo, using fractions of :28.2, :59.3 and 1:29.3, but Starbux Eden ($8.60) and winning driver John Cummings Jr. went the final quarter of a mile in :29.3 and nailed the tiring leader before the wire. The final time of the mile was 1:59, a new seasonal mark for Starbux Eden.
Sharp Lady (Ray Fisher Jr.) held on for second while Vicky Winner (Jamie Dunlap) was third.
The winner is trained and owned by Megan Wilson of Williamsville, New York. The victory pushed Starbux Eden's seasonal bankroll to $37,798 and was her second straight win and eighth victory of 2012.
Downs dash leading driver Shawn Gray racked up four more wins on the Friday program while John Cummings Jr. and Jim McNeight scored doubles.
The Pick 6 once again stymied handicappers as no one picked six. In fact, no one picked five winners in the six-race sequence. The carryover pool is now $7,442.
Racing continues on Saturday night with a 13-race program slated for 6:25 p.m. The $9,000 Open Pace is on tap with Golden Terror and driver Shawn Gray the morning line favourite at 5-2.
A free $2,000 Handicapping Contest is also set with $1,000 going to the winner. Entries will begin at 4:30 p.m. at the Player's club and continue right up until the first post. You must be a Player's Club member, which is free to join, to enter the contest.
(Batavia Downs)