by Brian Mazurek, for Batavia Downs

Batavia, NY — Millionaire One More Laugh with Jeff Gregory in the sulky, had the last laugh in the 10th annual $50,000 Robert J. Kane Memorial Pace when they scored a thrilling nose victory over Hypnotic Blue Chip in 1:52.1 in a four-horse blanket finish at Batavia Downs Casino on Saturday night (Oct.6).

Paul White photo

One More Laugh defeated Hypnotic Blue Chip to win the Robert J. Kane Memorial Pace in 1:52.1 on Saturday night at Batavia Downs.

The Robert J. Kane Memorial is the Downs signature race of the season.

Feel Like A Fool with Montrell Teague in the bike left hard from the rail and was intent on cutting the mile, setting some wicked early fractions of :26.2, :54.2, on a chilly and breezy night in Western New York.

At three-quarters in 1:23.1, Feel Like A Fool was still the commander of fractions but One More Laugh, a victim of stalled cover on the backstretch, and Classic Rock NRoll (Dan Noble) were beginning to close in. In the meantime the other millionaire in the field, Hypnotic Blue Chip (Ray Fisher Jr.), got caught inside of horses and was looking for a way out.

Approaching the top of the stretch Feel Like A Fool was still there but a two-wide One More Laugh, a three-wide Classic Rock NRoll and four-wide Hypnotic Blue Chip were gathering momentum and continued to close in.

Down the stretch it was a cavalry charge to the finish line.

Freshman star Fool Like A Fool was digging in but the Meadowlands Pace winner, One More Laugh, wore him down and struck the front in deep stretch.

Once in front One More Laugh had to call on all his back class to hold off another classy individual in the hard charging Hypnotic Blue Chip and Classic N Roll to score the narrow victory.

After a long photo, the numbers were posted with One More Laugh, Hypnotic Blue Chip and Classic Rock NRoll finishing first, second and third respectively while Feel Like A Fool was just a half-length back in fourth.

The 5-year-old One More Laugh, a McArdle gelding, is owned and trained by Ray Schnittker of Middletown, N.Y., J & T Silva Stables of Long Beach, N.Y. and Creative Racing Stables of Islip, N.Y. It was the seventh win of the season for One More Laugh and pushed his 2012 earnings to $166,605 and $2,562,152 lifetime. Gregory and Schnittker both began their illustrious careers on the Western New York circuit.

“He really raced well,” Jeff Gregory, a native of nearby Churchville New York said. “That wasn’t an easy trip for trip for him, we had to move early behind some bad cover and he really fought right down to wire. I want to thank Ray for the opportunity to come down and drive him tonight.”

Besides scoring with One More Laugh, the Gregory-Schnittker tandem also took the co-featured $12,500 Brian Schroeder Memorial Trot, as Neighsay Hanover ($2.60) posted a popular win.

Neighsay Hanover went gate-to-wire, going the mile in 1:58 after cutting out fractions of :27.3, :58.2 and 1:27.4. Big Baller (Dan Noble) finished second two lengths back while Ziegfeld (Shawn Gray) took the show money.

The 6-year-old Muscles Yankee horse, Neighsay Hanover has now registered seven wins in 21 starts and upped his seasonal winnings to $119,530 and $1,110,976 lifetime. He is owned by the contingent of Schnittker, Gewertz, Iannazzo and Fam Alber Horse Racing LLC.

In the $10,000 Open Pace, What The Sheik ($5.70) and driver Shawn Gray rallied down the lane and beat Versado (Pat Berry) in 1:53.1.

The Pick-6 carryover pool is now up to $5,626 after no one correctly selected all six winners on races seven through twelve.