Longtime Ontario trotter Thirdtimesthedream took his first stateside victory of the year as he upset at 10-1 in one of three $11,111 co-featured Class B events on Thursday, Sept. 17 at Batavia Downs.
Driven by Brett MacDonald, Thirdtimesthedream made a second-over move at the half in pursuit of Security Code S (Kevin Cummings). He then worked his way to third at three-quarters and struck the front at the top of the stretch, then maintained a half-length lead to the line in 1:59. Fly Delta (Dave McNeight III) was second, with Caviar Creek (Shawn McDonough) well back in third.
Thirdtimesthedream ($23.86) is owned by Brett MacDonald of Freelton, Ont. in partnership with Shen Guo of Waterloo, Ont. and Hartel Maintenance Inc. of Guelph, Ont. Ron MacDonald trains the seven-year-old son of Il Sogno Dream-Jimoris Sarande, who is now 31-for-162 lifetime.
Brookview Darius made it successive victorious rises in class with a 1:59 score in the other $11,111 conditioned co-feature trot. Driven by Drew Monti, he got away sixth while Franks Watching (Ray Fisher Jr.) cut the mile. When the field of trotters was approaching three-quarters, Brookview Darius was second-over behind Platinum Proposal (Shawn McDonough) but then swung three-deep and made his way to second at the top of the stretch. From there, Brookview Darius took the lead and held off a fast-closing field to win by a half-length. Crazy Fool (Kyle Cummings) charged for place over Blantons Blue (Kevin Cummings).
Brookview Darius ($4.60) took his third straight victory after winning a Class D trot on Sept. 2 and a Class C event on Sept. 7. The six-year-old Swan For All-Wittys Winner gelding is owned by Friendship Stables LLC and trained by Sheena Cohen. He now has 23 wins in 95 career outings.
In the lone co-featured pace, Northern Rein (Wade Tomaszewski) sat the pocket as Thor De Vie (Dave McNeight III) and Pointomygranson (Drew Monti) went toe-to-toe through the middle half. Positions remained the same around the turn and to the top of the stretch, where Northern Rein shook clear and won by three-quarters of a length in 1:56.3. Pointomygranson held second over Andrews Ideal (Brett MacDonald).
Northern Rein ($17.16) is owned by Nancy Swede and trained by Tom Mays. The 11-year-old American Ideal-Expressive gelding won for the 30th time in 219 lifetime starts.
Monti completed a four-bagger on the 10-race card, winning with Beantownboy (1:57, $5.12), Manny L (1:59.4, $4.30) and Mighty Santana N (1:57, $4.98). Sheena Cohen and Mihajlo Zdjelar Jr. had two training wins each.
The $3,000 guaranteed pool in the first-race Pick-5 produced a healthy mutuel for that wager on Thursday. The combination of 3,7/6/2/6/2 returned $1,385.99 for the 50-cent wager.
Live racing will resume at Batavia Downs on Saturday at 5 p.m. There will be a $4,555 carryover in the Jackpot Super Hi-5 pentafecta wager in the 13th race.
(With files from Batavia Downs)