It was déjà vu all over again at Batavia Downs Casino as for the second week in a row a longshot won the featured $10,000 Preferred Pace
.
Last week Lake Shark scored at odds of 16-1 to win off a perfect two-hole trip. On Saturday night (August 6), Spender Hanover at odds of 14-1 took the short way around en route to the upset score.
Spender Hanover, leaving from Post 2 with Dave McNeight III (“Triple Sticks”) in the bike, sat the pocket trip behind the front running Nifty Prescott (Ray Fisher Jr.), who set early fractions of :27.3 and :57.2.
Down the backstretch Nifty Prescott was facing a stern test from New York Prime and Chris Page, who were up to challenge as seven of Western New York’s best pacer hit the three-quarter station in 1:25.4.
Around the final the turn, the battle on the top end intensified and McNeight III simply bided his time in the two-hole as the field turned for home. Down the lane, McNeight angled the five-year-old Cams Card Shark gelding to the passing lane and drew off to a three-quarter of a length win in 1:54.3. New York Prime bested Nifty Prescott for second in a close place photo.
Spender Hanover ($30.40), making his second start for trainer Don Rothfuss, won for the fifth time this season and raised his 2011 earnings to $33,178. Howard Ouriel is the owner.
“I sat a really nice trip,” said McNeight III, a 21-year-old provisional reinsman. “When I asked him he took off and pulled away.”
Saturday night also featured the first of three guaranteed $5,000 Pick-4 pools. The winning horses in the sequence were Justlikekelly ($8.70), Classy Fun ($6.90), Gerald N Sam ($5.50) and Hedge Fund ($9.40). The winning combination returned $428.
(Batavia Downs)