Scorpion Moon made his return to Batavia Downs Casino a winning one when he scored a hard fought victory in the featured $9,000 Preferred Trot, Friday night (Sept. 24), at Batavia Downs Casino
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Send off as a prohibitive 1-2 betting favourite, Scorpion Moon, with Josh Marks in town to drive, left from his assigned outside post and was able to find the pylons getting away third.
Rounding the clubhouse turn on the payoff half, Marks pulled the classy son of Armbro Scorpion first over and they were quickly up to challenge the front-running Hello Carlo and Downs dashing leading reinsman Jack Flanigen.
Around the final turn, the weekly trotting feature became a match race as Hello Carlo and Scorpion Moon separated themselves from the rest of the field.
Down the lane, Hello Carlo was gamely digging in but a relentless Scorpion Moon was able to edge on by late to score his fifth consecutive win and 14th of the season, by a half-length, in 1:57.4. It was six lengths back to the third place finisher Fifty Two Finn.
The win put the nine-year-old gelding over the $216,000 mark in seasonal earnings for owners Andrew Herzog and Tracy Brainard, who also trains.
Stephen Oldford Wins Billings
The C.K.G Billings Harness Driving Championship Series returned to America’s oldest lighted harness racetrack on Friday night and it Steve “You’re Never Too” Oldford who guided Another Traveller to victory.
Oldford sent Another Traveller right to the lead when the gates opened and they never had an anxious moment scoring by six lengths over Guest Host, with Anthony “the Capo” Verruso, while Rock Hard Ten, with “Gentleman Jamie” Marra, wound up a fast-closing third.
Two Billings trots are slated as non-wagering events at Vernon Downs on Saturday night and will be contested at 6:10 p.m. prior to the betting card getting underway.
Racing resumes on Saturday night post time is 6:40 p.m. The Downs will simulcast the rich New York Night of Champions from Yonkers Raceway. Yonkers programs will be free.
(Batavia Downs)