After getting hung out to dry last week, Armed Dangerously ($6.10) bounced back with the best effort of his career in winning the $9,000 trotting feature at Batavia Downs on Friday night (Sept. 26).
At the onset of the race, Justgottogetthere (Jim McNeight) made a laborious trip to the front after being parked out by Starlitestarbrite (Shawn McDonough) in :28.4. Then after taking his two-length lead past the half, Dartmouth Hall (John Cummings Jr.) initiated the outer flow and took Armed Dangerously (Jim Morrill Jr.) along with him. When the pair drew near Justgottogetthere before the three-quarter pole, Cummings elected to tuck Dartmouth Hall in behind the leader while Morrill urged Armed Dangerously to trot on. Morrill’s decision ended the race because Armed Dangerously pulled away around the last turn and down the stretch to post a wrapped-up, three-length victory in 1:57.4. The winning time was a new lifetime mark. Justgottogetthere gallantly hung on for second and Force Nine (Ron Beback Jr.) closed to show.
The win was the seventh in 21 starts this year for the five-year-old Cash Hall horse and it drove his annual earnings up to $38,511 for owner Mike Torcello. Armed Dangerously is trained by Gerry Sarama.
There were also two divisions of the CKG Billings amateur driver series on the docket. The first $4,500 division went to Windsong Destroyer ($16.40), driven by Richard Roach, and the second $4,500 division went to Allpointsbulletin ($6.60), driven by Steve Oldford.
Driver Jim Morrill Jr. piloted three winners on the night while Drew Monti registered a driving double. Morrill is currently the second ranked percentage driver in North America among all reinsmen starting at least 500 times this year. He is boasting a gaudy .403 UDR, which is only .005 from the top spot.
(Batavia Downs)