from harness publicists across North America

Wednesday’s (August 4) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Batavia Downs and Monticello Raceway.

Meadows invader Snapper the best in Batavia Mares Open

Batavia, NY — It was another prime summer evening for harness racing in Western New York as the 64th season of live racing continued at America’s oldest lighted harness track. The feature race, the tenth race on the card, was a $9,000 Open Handicap Pace for fillies and mares with an optional claiming price of $17,500.

The feature went to the Meadows invader Snapper, with Jack Flanigen at the lines, pacing to the mile in a swift 1:56.3. In for the place was Pembroke Primo with John Cummings, Jr. Sun Belle Perfect and Ronny Beback showed up to round out the $55.00 trifecta.

Snapper and Flanigen moved from the rail to overtake the early lead from Cummings and Pembroke Primo just before the quarter pole. The talented mare took the front and cruised comfortably until just before the three-quarter pole when Tom Agosti and Jennifers Major showed a boost of speed to challenge Snapper just rounding the final turn. The efforts of the field did not overcome Snapper and Flanigen, as they drew away to win by 1-1/2 lengths. The fractions for Snapper were :28, :58.1 and 1:28.1.

Snapper is a 7-year-old mare by Keystone Luther. She’s owned by Anthony Cummings and Carl Cummings trains her. The winning $2 mutuel price was $3.20. Snapper was claimed out of the race for $21,000 by Howard Ouriel.

Live racing will continue this Friday and Saturday evening. Saturday features the annual tradition of Old Fashioned Night at Batavia Downs Casino. We will roll back the price of Sahlen’s hot dogs and soda to just 50 cents from 5 p.m. to the last race in the Paddock Room.

— Jeff Rizzo

Monticello Raceway
For the third time in less than a month Bruce Aldrich, Jr. scored six victories on a single card at Monticello Raceway. It happened again on Wednesday when the meet’s leading driver racked up another six-bagger. He began the day by winning five of the first six races on the card, although his victory with Bullville Princess was in a dead-heat. Win number one was in the first race with Sea Horse Farms’ trotter Princess QT Pie ($9.90) in a 2:00.4 clocking. That was followed by victories with Premier Racing Stables and Horsemans Financial Agency’s Goodnight Camelot ($6.70) in a 2:00.2 clocking and with Aldrich’s own IC Linda ($3.50) in 1:57.2. The fourth victory on the card was the dead-heat 1:58.3 triumph with Bulliville Princess ($4.00) and Funny Guy ($2.80), who was driven by Brandon Simpson. Though Aldrich was off the board in the fifth race he came back to score a 1:58.1 triumph with Stan Indig’s Dreamlands Pony ($3.20). Win number six came in the 12th race when Aldrich guided Sea Horse Farms’ JK Hooty ($6.90) in a 1:57.4 clocking. His six wins on Wednesday now give Aldrich 255 at the meeting, some 75 more than runner-up Zeke Parker’s 180.