It was an historic day for the oldest lighted harness track in North America on Monday (Jan. 30) after the bettors came out in force and pumped $340,602 through the windows (from all sources) on 13 races to set a new all-time single card betting mark at Batavia Downs. That total is the highest handle since Western Regional Off Track Betting reopened the Downs in 2002 and surpassed the old total of $339,000 which was realized over 14 races during the 2019 New York Sire Stakes Night of Champions finals.
Author: By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs
Meadows Monday Memo
Here is this week’s Meadows Monday Memo
Glasser and Clark Jr. Winners in GSY Events at the Meadowlands
With two GSY events carded for Friday (Jan. 27) night, it was a second straight week of double-digit winners, bucking the early trend from the beginning of this year. Are winning favorites again a thing of the past in the GSY?
William “Bill” Blake Jr., 83, dies
William “Bill” Blake Jr. passed away on Saturday, January 21, 2023, following a recent stroke. He was 83.
Batavia Downs kicked off Western New York Racing Series Monday
On Monday (Jan. 23), Batavia Downs began a four-week Pop-Up Racing Series for Western New York-based Trackmaster pacers and trotters with preliminary leg classes going for between $6,000 and $9,000 each (depending on class). Monday saw 10 series races go postward and these events provided some very competitive racing.
Hoosier Hotshots Top PEO Mixed Sale
A pair of Indiana’s fastest 3-year-olds of the 20
JM‘s Delight, Big Box Hanover take Batavia features
A pair of $13,000 Open I Handicaps — one on the pace and one on the trot — topped a solid and bettable card at Batavia Downs on Monday afternoon (Jan. 16) and those races produced another stout handle as a result.
Winneress lives up to his name in AHDC Trot
Winneress lived up to his name Saturday (Jan. 14) at Freehold as he claimed his first victory of the year in the American Harness Drivers Club trot. Piloted by his owner Anthony Verruso, the duo took advantage of an early speed duel to help overcome his outside post.
2022 OHHA Dick Brandt Sr. Extra Effort Award Presented to Mercer County Harness Horsemen’s Association
The Mercer County Harness Horsemen’s Association will be presented the 2022 Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association Dick Brandt Sr. Extra Effort Award at the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association Annual Awards Banquet on Saturday (Jan. 14), at the Hilton Columbus-Polaris in Columbus, Ohio.
Stalbaum steals the show in Batavia Downs winter opener
Former Batavia Downs driving regular Larry Stalbaum has only been racing at the Downs as a part-time ship-in in recent years as his base of operations has moved away from western New York. But after spending more time in Genesee County this past year, Stalbaum was a force to be reckoned with on opening day (Jan. 9) of the first winter meet in over 20 years as he trained and drove five winners on the 13-race card that produced the highest betting handle since 2019.