Rightfully Mine was in the perfect position to pounce and did just that to upset in the $18,750 Fillies and Mares Handicap Pace at Batavia Downs on Wednesday, Aug. 6.
The six-horse field was scratched down to five, and post-time favourite Forgot Thewallet A (Joe Chindano Jr.) broke behind the gate. That left four to fight going into the first turn, and Mary Kat (Dave McNeight III) and Downtown Tonight (Jim McNeight Jr.) did argue for the lead before the latter took control shortly past the :27.4 quarter. The field stayed single-file to the half in :57.1 before turning onto the backstretch for the second circuit, where Drew Monti tipped Rightfully Mine first-over from third.
Rightfully Mine paced up to Downtown Tonight and engaged her step-for-step around the last turn. As the pair raced into the stretch, Rightfully Mine gained separation and bolted home under mild urging while holding off the fast-closing Alabama Hannah (Jim Morrill Jr.) by a length to win in 1:55.2, matching her seasonal mark. Downtown Tonight finished third.
The win was the 20th lifetime in 112 starts for Rightfully Mine ($25.60). The seven-year-old homebred American Ideal-Leah mare is owned by Monique Cohen of Wind Gap, Pa. and is trained by Chris Petrelli.
Earlier, in the $16,250 mid-level conditioned pace for distaffs, Delta Three N (Jim Morrill Jr.) put in a very impressive performance after taking the lead and putting up fractions of :27.4, :56.1, and 1:24.4. After rounding the last turn, Delta Three N dashed for home to win by two lengths and stopped the timer in 1:53.4, which was one-fifth of a second off her lifetime mark. Won Surreal Deal (Kyle Cummings) finished second, followed by Greystone Treasure (Chindano).
Delta Three N ($3.50), an eight-year-old daughter of Mach Three-Ella Sue, improved to 17-for-70 lifetime. Brett Derue trains the mare and co-owns her with Stephen Picarazzi.
Jim Morrill Jr. ended the night as the driving leader after scoring a grand slam in the bike while trainers Brett Derue, Shawn McDonough, and Luis Porfilio all had two wins apiece.
The best two-year-old pacing colts and geldings bred in the Empire State will be on hand at Batavia Downs on Thursday, Aug. 7 when the New York Sire Stakes reconvenes with two five-horse fields competing for a total of $105,000 USD in purses. The divisions are headlined by Huntsville sons Fragment (Jason Bartlett), trained by Per Engblom, and Hunt Off The Press (Tyler Buter), trained by Jared Bako. There will also be two $20,000 USD divisions of the Excelsior Series. Post time for the first race on Thursday is 6 p.m.
(With files from Batavia Downs)