from Batavia Downs Media Relations

Batavia, NY — Union Man Hanover lived up to the advance hype when he scored an odds-on win in his $12,200 NYSS Late Closer division on Wednesday night (Oct. 5) at Batavia Downs Casino.

Paul White photo

Union Man Hanover was a 1:56.4 winner on Wednesday.

The 2-year-old Artiscape-Up Front Rose colt blasted to the front at the half and was in complete control the rest of the way, scoring by two lengths in 1:56.4 for reinsman Greg Merton. Linda Toscano trains for Stake Your Claim Stable, Bays Stable and D.J. Baer. This was the fourth win in 11 starts for Union Man Hanover ($2.40) and he raised his freshman earnings to $62,713.

“I let them settle before moving him to the front,” Greg Merton said. “He did it all on his own; this is a really good colt.”

In other Late Closer action, Ideal Griff, with Ray Fisher, Jr. in the bike, made it back-to-back Late Closer wins when he held on by a quarter-length in 1:57.2 over a fast closing Ideal Affair (Jack Flanigen). The American Ideal –Little Betty colt is now two for five this season and the $6,100 winner’s share of the purse raised his bankroll to $15,874 for trainer Steve Elliott and owner Ribbonships.

The final $12,300 Late Closer went to Alex Shredder for driver Jim McNeight. The Erv Miller trainee won by a half-length over a hard charging Artillery Major (Brandon Simpson) in 1:59.1. The Artiscape-Momma Nukes gelding scored his third win of the season and has earnings of $22,135.

The 2011 stakes season comes to an end on Saturday night with the ninth annual $40,000 Robert J. Kane Memorial Pace.