After coming up short in her last outing, Summer Slash got back to her winning ways while imposing her will on a field of top pacing mares in the $15,000 Open I Distaff Handicap Pace at Batavia Downs on Wednesday (Sept. 6).
In a reversal of tactics, Ray Fisher Jr. sent Summer Slash to the front for the first time since April and made short work of her competition once settled. Summer Slash held a gapped avantage setting fractional times of :27.2, :57 and 1:25.3, while the pocket-sitting Skyway Venus (Joe Chindano Jr.) and the breezing Xenias Chip (Dave McNeight III) tried to keep pace at that station. But that turned out to be an exercise in futility as Fisher shook the lines and Summer Slash found another gear. With her tail flagged and her head held high, Summer Slash ripped around the last turn and flew down the lane to win by an easy 3-1/2 lengths in 1:54 flat, tying her lifetime mark.
It was the third win in her last four outings and eighth win of the year for Summer Slash ($3.20), owned by Ilovemyharnesshorsesummer and trained by Ryan Swift, who had three winners go postward on Wednesday.
An equally impressive performance was put in by Casies Believer (Joe Chindano Jr.), who jogged in the secondary featured $11,500 upper-lever condition pace for fillies and mares.
Casies Believer was also the commander of fractions from the start and was hard-pressed by Diamondtequilashot (Ray Fisher Jr.) from the quarter to the five-eighths. At that point, Diamondtequilashot called it a night, forcing Mcdelicacy (Kevin Cummings) to go three-wide and engage Casies Believer up the backstretch and into the far turn. Mcdelicacy tried her best, but it wasn’t good enough as Casies Believer accelerated into the straight and bolted for the line, winning by 3-1/2 lengths in a season’s best 1:54.4.
Casies Believer ($15.80) registered her 28th lifetime win for Chindano, who also owns and trains the winner.
Jim Morrill Jr. had a driving grand slam during the night with three of those winners being trained by Cory Kreiser. Two of Kreiser's trainees were longtime equine veterans who added to their lofty lifetime win totals. They were 11-year-old trotter BJ Anthony, who got his 52nd career win, and the 12-year-old pacer Sudden Change N, who posted career win 51.
Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Saturday (Sept. 9) at 6 p.m. and there will be a $903 carryover in the Jackpot Hi-5 pentafecta wager in the race 13.
(Batavia Downs)