by Todd Haight, for Batavia Downs

Batavia, NY — Using a different racing style, Thomas, Betty Lou and Christopher Buckley and Francis Rapone’s talented trotter, Speed Pilot, came from off the pace to upset in the $9,000 Open Handicap Trot on Friday night (October 5) at Batavia Downs Gaming.

Normally a horse that does his best trotting on the top end, Speed Pilot, with catch driver Jim McNeight, stayed just off the gate and got away fifth at the opening quarter, set by the front running Craiger and Ken Holliday in :29.

Speed Pilot picked up the cover of Writteninthestars (Ray Fisher, Jr.) coming to the half and followed that one until McNeight sensed his cover had stalled. Tipping three-deep before the three-quarters, Speed Pilot was on the move and now second and up to the wheel of Craiger, who maintained the lead after setting fractions of :59.2 and 1:29.3.

As the field made their final swing in the weekly trotting feature, Craiger looked strong on the lead but Speed Pilot wouldn’t go away and caught up and went by Craiger in the final strides to win by a half-length in 1:59.1.

Speed Pilot, a 6-year-old son of CR Aviator, notched his fifth win of the season and raised his seasonal earnings to over $30,000. Trained by Louis Rapone, Jr., “Speedy,” as he is called around the barns, returned $17.80 to win. Craiger held on to the place spot while Lasting T, with the veteran Ken Ball, finished full of trot after shaking loose turning for home and came on to be third.