It was business as usual Friday night (Aug. 7) for one of the best resident trotters to ever ply his trade at the historic Genesee County oval. Lutetium (Kevin Cummings) led from gate-to-wire for the second week in a row and captured the $9,500 featured Open Trot at Batavia Downs.
Leaving sharply from post six, the eight-year-old gelded son of Credit Winner went right to the front and set fractions of :28.2, :59.1 and 1:28.2 before closing out the deal in 1:57.3. Cummings rated the horse perfectly and had no problem holding off a late charge by post time favourite BZ Glide (Mike Caprio).
The win was the sixth in 20 starts this year for Lutetium ($5.50) and the proceeds raised his annual earnings to $43,331 for owner Colleen Girdlestone. The winner is trained by Mark Laidlaw.
Batavia Downs leading driver Kevin Cummings and Dave McNeight III both scored driving triples on the night.
Shawn Gray made his return to the sulky a winning one after taking the second race with Four Starz Trump ($3.20). Gray had been sidelined for just over three weeks after being involved in an accident at Buffalo Raceway on July 15.
(Batavia Downs)