by Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

Batavia, NY—The seven divisional finals of the 2016 Batavia Downs Claiming Championship Series will be contested this Saturday (Nov. 12) and the participants will be vying for purses totaling $125,000.

The claiming series was point-based and broken down by gait and claiming price. The accrual of points was on a monthly basis. Divisions included $4,000, $5,000-$6,000 and $8,000-$10,000 claimers on the pace and $4,000-$5,000 and $7,500-$10,000 claimers on the trot. Points were awarded to the top five finishers of each race and accrued monthly.
The eight horses from each class category that made the final were comprised of the top three point earners from Aug. (July 25-Aug. 31) and Sept. (Sept. 1-30), and the top two point earners in Oct. (Oct. 1-31).

In the finals, the $4,000-$5,000 categories will compete for $15,000 and all other categories will vie for $20,000.

“This is the biggest non-stakes event ever held at Batavia Downs” said Todd Haight, director/general manager of live racing at Batavia Downs. “The $125,000 being offered in these events will be competed for and won by our resident horsemen and that is good for the local racing scene.”

The top two events are the $7,500-$10,000 claiming trot and the $8,000-$10,000 claiming pace, both going for a purse of $20,000.

In the $20,000 trot, 10-time 2016 winner Love U Forever has been made the early 8-5 choice. The 4-year-old Andover Hall mare has most recently won in Open III condition company in 1:59.3 after getting away poorly with interference. She has won three out of her last five starts and her only bad outing during that time was over a sloppy track.

Love U Forever’s regular driver, Jim Morrill Jr., will again steer in this event from post three for trainer David Weston.

Socks N Shuzy is the 5-2 second choice and was a beaten favorite in her last race at the $10,000 claiming level. She got away poorly from post six and was 13 lengths off the leader at the quarter-mile marker. But after fading to last before the last turn, Socks N Shuzy brushed home sharply and was only three lengths shy of the winner in a 1:59.1 mile.

Starting from post four, Ray Fisher Jr. drives for trainer Priscilla Mooney.

In the $20,000 pace, Bazooka drew post one and was made the 5-2 favorite by the track handicapper. Although he only won two races all year, they came in succession just three weeks ago and his form has been maintained ever since. After competing in $10,000 and $15,000 claimers the last three weeks, he comes in here sharp and ready.

Bradley Jackson drives and trains the 6-year-old Sportsmaster gelding.

The 3-1 second choice is Cheyenne Louie who is taking a major class drop for this event. His last two starts were in $20,000 claiming races where he drew consecutive outside posts. And before that at the $15,000 claiming level, he won over a sloppy track in 1:54.4 handily, going wire-to-wire. That clocking was also his seasonal best time.

John Cummings Jr., who drove him to that win, is aboard again for trainer JD Perrin.

The claiming series divisions are carded as race one, two, three, four, six, 11 and 12. Post time for the first race is 6:15 p.m.