After back-to-back second-place finishes to Serendipitious and Studio City in Open company races the last two weeks, Winkys Pride got her revenge by beating them both, along with five other top-flight trotters in the $10,500 feature trot at Batavia Downs on Friday night (August 26).
As the starting car sped away, Serendipitious (Ray Fisher Jr.), Winkys Pride (Drew Monti) and Kahoku (Ron Beback Jr.) all left as fast as the gate and then argued strongly for the lead. As they moved by the quarter in :28, Serendipitious took the front from the first seated Winkys Pride and the two mares left Kahoku parked-out to dry.
The field stayed pretty much unchanged to the half in :57.2 and three-quarters in 1:27.3 before Kahoku folded from taking air and Serendipitious started to look like a winner. But Monti had other ideas as he tipped Winkys Pride by the head of the stretch and under light urging, trotted away to a two-length victory in 1:57.2. Studio City (Dave McNeight III) snuck up the rail to be second and Serendipitious hung on for third.
The win was the fourth in 26 starts this year for Winkys Pride ($19.60) and the winner’s share pushed her earnings up to $45,655 for 2016. The time of 1:57.2 was a new seasonal mark for the eight-year-old chestnut daughter of Amigo Hall and only two-fifths of a second off her lifetime best.
Winkys Pride is owned and trained by Robert Hummel of Puslinch, Ont.
Dave McNeight III and Ray Fisher Jr. both had driving doubles and trainer Lisa Mariacher conditioned two winners as well.
(With files from Batavia Downs)