by harness publicists from across North America

Wednesday’s (Oct. 21) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Batavia Downs and Vernon Downs.

Memumsnotnice dominates top distaff pacers at Batavia Downs

Batavia, NY — It’s not too often a horse jumps up in class and dictates the proceedings but that’s just what happened to Memumsnotnice in the $8,500 Open mares pace at Batavia Downs on Wednesday night (Oct. 21).

Leaving from post one for the third consecutive week, Memumsnotnice (Ray Fisher Jr.) took quick control of the front and led her minions by a loose two-lengths for the entire mile. After fractions of :29.1, :57.2 and 1:26.1, Fisher raised the lines, cracked the whip and enticed Memumsnotnice to open up a three-length lead and draw away at the wire in 1:55.1.

It was the third victory of 2015 for Memumsnotnice and the winner’s share boosted her seasonal earnings to $32,818 for owners Thatsideofthefence LLC and John Mungillo, who also trains the winner.

Driving and training multiplicity ran rampant at Batavia Downs on Wednesday as Ray Fisher Jr. scored a driving hat trick on the card while Kevin Cummings and Jack Flanigen both copped doubles. Trainers John Mungillo and JD Perrin also both had two winners apiece.

Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Friday (Oct. 23) with post time set for 6:15 p.m.

— Tim Bojarski

Vernon Downs
Drivers Truman Gale and Claude Huckabone III each registered a triple on Wednesday evening’s nine-race program at Vernon Downs, with Gale capturing the featured $5,500 conditioned distaff pace as well. Gale kicked off his hat trick in the featured event, sustaining a first-over bid with Tiger Boudoir ($12.40) off the far turn en route to a narrow half-length victory over pocket rival Table Games (John MacDonald) in 1:52.4. Gale also trains the 5-year-old Western Terror mare for Donn Lewandrowski and Gail Farrell. The “New York Night Train” went on to take the evening’s fifth event, also prevailing in first-over fashion. Cool Vicious ($3.40) prevailed at odds-on over 17-1 pacesetter Megaparfaite (MacDonald), just capturing the lead in the final yards of a 1:56 mile after dueling the length of the stretch. Trainer/driver Gale shares ownership of Cool Vicious with his wife Jocelyn. The seventh race saw Gale team up with trainer Robert Gale and another odds-on favorite in E R Rhonda ($3.20). The 4-year-old kicked out from the pocket while exiting the far turn, edging clear for a 2-1/2 length victory over Make Magic (Huckabone III) in 1:54. Gale would be matched in his efforts on the night, as Claude Huckabone III registered three wins of his own. His first came in the evening’s third race, where he gave favorite Summer Snow ($4.40) a second-over trip behind Drinkin N Dancin (Chris Lems), kicking cover at head-stretch to push clear of Escada De Vie (Jimmy Whittemore) in 1:52.4. “Huck Three” then went on to sweep the late double, scoring a pillar-to-post 1:55.1 win with Polished Perfection ($13.20) in the eighth and vaulting off cover with favorite Aritzia Hanover ($6.40) for a 1:54.1 triumph in the last. Live racing returns to Vernon Downs on Friday (Oct. 23) evening, with the first of 12 races due off at 6:45 p.m. (EDT).