by Hank Nevins, for Batavia Downs

Batavia NY — Once again Batavia Downs will play host to another $7,500 college scholarship race for college-bound students, it was announced today by Todd Haight, General Manager of Live Racing. The event will feature students from area schools accompanied by professional harness racing drivers in a one-mile dash for the cash on Saturday, September 10.

“We are once again pleased to help support the education of students in our community in such a unique way. We were so pleased with how well our first dash for cash was received, we immediately went back to our partners and requested we give it another go,” Haight said. “Not only did the five participating students earn valuable scholarship funds, but also a greater understanding of the sport of harness racing, which was our main goal.”

Paul White photo

Five high school students hold their checks after the first ever high school scholarship race held in 2010 at Batavia Downs Casino.

Last year, Kaley Falkowski of Batavia High School, with professional Jim Mulcahy sitting alongside in a double-seated jog cart, bested four other students.

This year, Batavia High, Oakfield-Alabama and Notre Dame of Batavia will each be represented by one student. The remaining two spots will be picked by lottery. All schools can use any criteria they wish to pick their students.

During the summer the students will attend at least five training sessions at the track with their driver to learn the safety and skills needed to drive a horse. Then between the fourth and fifth live harness races on September 10, they will line up behind the starting gate and compete for scholarships of $3,000, $2,000, $1,200, $800 and $500, depending on where they finish.

Once again the scholarship event is sponsored by the horsemen, breeders, owners and raceways of Western New York through the Harness Horse Breeders of New York State, the Western New York Harness Horsemen’s Association, Buffalo Raceway and Batavia Downs Casino.