Batavia, NY — Brett Beckwith, currently the third winningest driver in North America for 2026, substantially added to his victory total on Thursday (Feb. 5) at Batavia Downs after winning five races on the program. Those wins included a sweep of the Batavia Downs Winter Pacing Series finals, as well as a natural hat trick in races seven, eight and nine.
The top final went for $14,000, and Beckwith scored with Timeto Communicate after getting a perfect trip.
Timeto Communicate got away third and watched as Rock Me Always (Drew Monti) gave the cold shoulder to Major Battle (Kyle Cummings), who got parked in :27.4 and :57.1 before turning left onto the second circuit.
As they rolled up the backstretch, Major Battle stalled, forcing Dandys BB Eight (Leon Bailey) three-wide approaching three-quarters. That transition in position provided a gap for Timeto Communicate to vacate the pocket and come directly at Rock Me Always. Rounding the last turn, Rock Me Always, Timeto Communicate and Dandys BB Eight paced three abreast until the top of the stretch, where Timeto Communicate bolted away by 3-1/4 lengths and won in 1:57.2.
Timeto Communicate ($6.28) is owned by Crazy Parrot Farm and trained by Shawn McDonough, who had two wins on Thursday.
Then, in the $11,000 final, Beckwith steered McVera to her fourth consecutive win at Batavia and kept her undefeated in 2025.
Kb’ssweetcaroline (Drew Monti) circled McVera off the gate to take the lead but relented when McVera made an early first-over move and captured the front for good as they stopped the quarter clock in :28.1. Mcvera then stepped to the half in :58.1 and three-quarters in 1:27.2 while Kb’ssweetcaroline tracked tightly on Beckwith’s helmet. When they reached the top of the stretch, Monti tipped Kb’ssweetcaroline and came hard at the leader. But McVera had all the answers and toughed out the win by three-quarters of a length in 1:56.3.
McVera ($2.98) is owned by Robert Woodburn and trained by Taylor Fritz.
Beckwith completed his win quintet as the heavily backed favorite with All About Lynx (1:58.3, $3.94), Wild Bill Kelso (1:58.4, $2.56) and Brooklets Sonic (1:59, $4.32).
Also featured on Thursday’s card was the $10,000 A-AA Trot, where Starlitcresentroll (Drew Monti) put on quite a show after going gate-to-wire in a 4-1/2-length romp timed in a sharp 1:58.1. Owned by Lucky Leaf Stable and trained by Taylor Fritz, Starlitcresentroll returned $4.74.
Sam Smith and Chris Petrelli joined McDonough and Fritz with two training wins on Thursday.
Thursday’s card marked the end of the winter meet at Batavia Downs. Live harness racing at the Genesee County oval will resume on Saturday, July 26, at 6 p.m., when the summer/fall meet commences.