A top-class race for each gait was contested at Batavia Downs on Saturday, Aug. 30 and a pair of "international" horses claimed the spoils from those two events.
In the $17,534 Open Handicap Trot, the Canadian-bred Dealin With Dewey (pictured above) was used both early and late, but still got the job done.
Brett Macdonald left with Dealin With Dewey and was parked three-deep through the first eighth before grabbing up and tucking in third, as Duke Lavictoire (Jim Morrill Jr.) settled on the lead at the quarter in a snappy :27.4. Positions remained unchanged to the half where Dealin With Dewey made his second move and started an overland trek heading around turn three.
Dealin With Dewey continued to gain ground on the backstretch and drew even with Duke Lavictoire as they passed three-quarters in 1:27. The two trotters matched strides all around the last turn and into the stretch where Dealin With Dewey started to pull away from the Duke, and then held off a late challenge from the fast-closing Makes Me Charlie (Kyle Cummings) to win by a quarter length in 1:56.3.
The win was the eighth of the year for the heavily-backed Dealin With Dewey ($2.70) who is owned and trained by Sara Baillargeon of Guelph. Ont.
Then in the $17,534 Open Handicap Pace, the Australian-bred Lip Reader A left no doubt as he scored a gate to wire victory while matching his fastest time of the meet.
Drew Monti sent Lip Reader A to the front from his pylon position start and they stepped off solid fractions of :27.4, :58.3 and 1:26.1 while Davey Day Trader (Dave McNeight III) tracked closely from second the entire time, and a mild outer-flow bid by Lanjo Lee (Kyle Cummings) failed as they made their way around the bend.
As the race entered the final eighth of a mile, Monti sat chilly and let Lip Reader A close the deal as he was pacing under a full head of steam and rolled home easily to win by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:54.
It was the sixth win of the year for Lip Reader A ($3.20) who is owned by Vogel and Wags Nags and Team Rice Racing and trained by Maria Rice.
Lyons Surfing ($2.40) delivered as the public choice in the $16,438 Open II Pace for driver Kyle Swift and trainer Gareth Dowse, and favoured Valentine Express ($3.10) put forth a lovely 1:58 wire-to-wire effort to score in the $16,438 Open II Trot for Swift and trainer Jerry Nugent, Jr.
Live harness racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Labour Day Monday (Sept. 1) with post time at 1:15 p.m.
Next week on Saturday (Sept. 6), Batavia Downs will host the New York Sire Stakes Night of Champions finals night with purses valued at $2.4 million USD.
(with files from Batavia Downs)