by Todd Haight, for Batavia Downs

Batavia, NY — He was moving up in class but that did not stop Howard Taylor and Abe Basen’s Cowboy Again from going gate-to-wire in Saturday night’s (September 8) featured $9,000 Open I-II Pace at Batavia Downs Gaming.

Taking advantage of being assigned the rail, Robbie McNeight put Cowboy Again, a son of Dragon Again, right on the lead. Cutting fractions of :28.2, :57, and 1:26, Cowboy Again had enough left to hold on by a neck in 1:55.1. Liebeck (Jim McNeight) saved ground all the way to finish second in the weekly pacing feature while Scudder (Ken Holliday), forced to take the overland route past three-quarters, ended up third.

In the winner’s circle, McNeight said, “I thought he would race well, he raced well last week.”

Cowboy Again, who is trained by last year’s leading Downs conditioner Paul Szalay, Jr., paid $18 to win.

A gigantic performance came in race eight, a $30,000 claimer with a purse of $9,000. Caribbean Spur, with catch driver Jack Flanigen, pinch-hitting for regular driver John Cummings, Jr., went coast-to-coast in a sizzling 1:54.2, just a fifth of a second off the fastest mile paced this season at Batavia.

Betting favorites are having quite a bit of success (48 percent) at the meet so far with six weeks of racing in the books, but there were some longshot winners on the Saturday night program as well.

In addition to Cowboy Again’s upset victory, Lanise Kash (Ken Holliday) took the fourth race, returning $26.80, and Jack Flanigen won the ninth and 11th races, respectively, with Royal Vegas ($30.20) and Balin Hanover ($46.20).

Live racing at Batavia Down is currently being held every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday night with post time set for 7:35 p.m.

Wednesday’s feature will be race nine, the $8,800 Open Mares handicap. A newcomer to Batavia Downs, Anita Rush, with trainer/driver Ray Fisher, Jr., starts out at 5-2 on the morning line.

The free pick-6 contest continues on Wednesday night, with this week’s carryover jackpot at $400. The sign-up to play begins at 6:00 p.m. at Players Club.

In addition to live harness racing, Batavia Downs Gaming offers the best of simulcast action, fine food in the clubhouse, and video gaming. The gaming floor, which features 591 video gaming terminals, is open from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight on Sunday through Thursday and from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. For more information check out www.bataviadownsgaming.com.