Batavia Downs winningest driver of 2022 is on a mission to repeat this year and Kevin Cummings substantially added to his numbers on Wednesday night (Aug. 9) by winning six races on the card including a natural hat trick right out of the box in races one, two and three.
The biggest win of the six came in the featured $15,000 Fillies and Mares Open Handicap Pace, where after coming up short in her first two tries at the Downs this season, Imprincessgemma A finally closed the deal.
Similar to her initial pair of outings, Imprincessgemma A was sent to the front by Cummings and then led for the duration. After getting to the half in a pedestrian :58.2, Imprincessgemma A was met by a challenge from Bet Im Lucky (Jim McNeight Jr.), who came first-over from fourth and was only a length behind the leader in the breeze at three-quarters. But that was as close as Bet Im Lucky would get because Imprincessgemma A was on a mission and pulled away to an easy 1-3/4 length victory 1:55.2.
Imprincessgemma A ($4.80) got her seventh win of the year for owner Elite Harness Racing and trainer Shawn McDonough.
Cummings also won with Sevenare (1:58.1, $3.30), R U Talkin (1:56.3, $4.40), St Lads Maggie Mae (1:56.1, $3.70), Alexander Hanover (2:01.2, $13.40) and Xenias Chip (1:55.1, $2.70).
The co-feature on Wednesday’s card was an $11,500 conditioned pace for distaff competitors that had American Jazz trip-out to victory.
American Jazz (Denny Bucceri) got away in the garden spot as Carbon Cider (Joe Chindano Jr.) and Center Attraction (Jim McNeight Jr.) battled side-by-side the entire mile. The pair bickered through fractions of :27, :56.2 and 1:25.3 at three-quarters where Mcdelicacy (Kevin Cummings) joined the fun three-deep. American Jazz continued to follow the wall of three around the last turn and into the stretch where the passing lane opened up like the Red Sea, allowing American Jazz a clear and direct path to victory. Bucceri simply steered the mare along the cones to a 1:55.3, three-quarter length victory.
American Jazz ($11) is owned by Julie Wagonblott and is trained by Joe Alba.
When live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Saturday (Aug. 12) at 6 p.m., there will be a $2,430 carryover in the Jackpot Hi-5 pentafecta in the 13th race.
(Batavia Downs)