by Todd Haight, promotional marketing specialist, Batavia Downs Casino

Batavia, NY — Batavia Downs Casino concluded its longest harness racing season since 2003 when live harness racing came to an end on Saturday, December 5.

Two track records were established during the 2009 Summer-Fall meet, both occurring in New York Sire Stakes action, which was part of the $1 million stakes season. On July 31, OK Braveheart, with Jim Morrill, Jr., lowered Getting Personal’s 1993 record for 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers when he cruised around the Genesee county oval in 1:52.2, winning by 10 lengths. It was also the fastest pacing mile of the meet. Three NYSS divisions were contested and all exceeded Getting Personal’s former record. On September 4, Russell Hill trotted a full second faster than The Principle’s track record for 3-year-old colts and geldings, set in 2008, when he romped to victory in 1:57.4 with Morrill at the controls.

Foiled Again took care of business as advertised in the seventh renewal of the $40,000 Robert J. Kane Memorial Pace, the track’s showcase event. Matt Kakaley, one of the rising stars of the sport, was in the sulky for trainer Ron Burke. Unseasonably cool weather for October 10 prevented Foiled Again from pacing any faster than 1:52.3.

Kevin Cummings, despite missing a few nights due to an early season spill, finished out the season as the leading driver at Batavia with 117 wins in 675 starts, giving him a UDR of .325. His drives earned $530,998 which is the second highest of all-time. This was Cummings’ first ever Batavia driving title. Cummings was also named the Driver of the Meet and the Year by the Upstate chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association.

Ray Fisher, Jr. finished out the season with six wins on closing weekend and wound up with 94 wins and $422,477 in purses. That was good enough to nip USHWA’s Comeback Award winner Jack Flanigen for second place in the driver standings. Flanigen finished with 93 wins and $380,898 in earnings. An honorable mention goes to Ken Holliday who missed the first six weeks of the season with an injury but finished with 47 wins and a fine win percentage of almost 27 percent.

Sherri Holliday, despite using catch drivers in her husband’s absence, won her first ever Batavia trainer’s title. She finished with 66 wins and a .368 UTR. Her stable had $232,863 in earnings. This was Holliday’s first Batavia training title. She was named Trainer of the Meet and Year by USHWA.

Jim Graham had an excellent season with 56 wins and earnings of $211,155 while Bob Gruber III and D.J. Millner wound up tied for third in the trainer standings with 52 wins each.

Arm And A Leg, owned by Mark Jakubik and John Cummings, Sr., was named the Horse of the Year at Batavia Downs Casino by USHWA. In 16 Batavia starts he won six Open Handicaps along with four seconds and one third. His earnings were $35,960 and his best win time at the Downs was 1:54.2. In 39 Western New York starts he had 13 wins and earned $86,000. He was also named the Horse of the Year in Western New York.

Batavia Downs Casino raised over $15,000 for Mercy Flight of Western New York through sponsorship of races, a silent auction and the Downs’ first ever golf tournament.

The “Gasser,” Gaston Guindon, a perennial leading driver here in the 1980s, was honored with a special night named after him.

Batavia Downs Casino continued its tradition of honoring a horse that has a profound impact in the history of harness racing in Western New York when Excalibur was honored with a special night. With Fred Haslip in the bike, Excalibur set the world record for a double-gaited gelding trotter in 1977.

The annual Labor Day driver bike race, a Downs tradition started in 1982, went to Ray Fisher, Jr.

Jean Smart’s Jake Arnold won this year’s wiener dog races held in front of a packed house.

“I’m happy we were able to accommodate our racing fans by changing our wagering menu to include more superfectas,” said Mike Kane, VP of Racing. “I was also pleased with our very competitive racing product. I thought the caliber of horses that shipped in to race here during our stakes season was exceptional. We look forward to resuming our live racing schedule next July as we strive to make the experience at Batavia Downs Casino the best possible.”