After coming up just short in his local debut last week, Spicy Hops rebounded with a big win in the featured $15,205 conditioned trot at Batavia Downs on Friday, Sept. 5.
The heavily favoured Crazy Ritz (Jim McNeight Jr.) made a break behind the gate before Spicy Hops (Dave McNeight III) and Latavius (Jim Morrill Jr.) traded leads going to the :29.4 quarter. Spicy Hops finally took the front for good after Latavius pocketed-up and led the field to a soft half of :59.3. It was there that Double Class (Drew Monti) pulled first-over and pressed the leader up the backstretch and around turn four, where Double Class started to wane. But as Spicy Hops entered the stretch, Latavius came to life in the passing lane and matched strides with Spicy Hops all the way to the wire. However, Spicy Hops never relented and hung on to victory by a nose in 1:58.3. Double Class held on for third over Good Boy (Ray Fisher Jr.).
Spicy Hops, who has won five of his last seven starts, earned his first victory for new connections, trainer Cassie Russo and co-owner Gary Ballowe of Angola, New York.
Sent postward at odds of 12-1, the five-year-old Bar Hopping-Spiceberry Hanover gelding returned $26.68 to win.
There was a big payout in the Pick-5 wager on Friday. The combination of 5/4/2/4,5/6 returned $4,902.18 for the 50-cent wager.
Live racing resumes at Batavia on Saturday, Sept. 6 with post time at 6 p.m. and the card will feature the New York Sire Stakes Night of Champions with purses valued at $2.4 million USD.
There will be two guaranteed pools at Batavia on Saturday. Both Pick-4 pools (beginning in race three and in race seven) will be guaranteed at $7,500 each in conjunction with the United States Trotting Association's Strategic Wagering Program. As such, free full past performance program pages will be available to download at ustrotting.com under the "Handicapping" tab.
(With files from Batavia Downs)