by Todd Haight, marketing coordinator, Batavia Downs

Batavia, NY — Saturday evening (August 2) marked the beginning of the $1 million stakes season at Batavia Downs Gaming. With total purses of over $193,000, the New York Sire Stakes featured six divisions of 2-year-old colt and gelding pacers.

The opener was a New York Sire Stakes event with a purse of $32,542. Spacehill, driven by Jim Morrill, Jr., was the winner. He sat the pocket coming into the final turn and pulled away down the stretch to win by two lengths in a time of 1:58. The winning mutuel price was $3.60. Spacehill is a colt by Space Shuttle-Matts Life. He is trained by Erv Miller, and owned by Joshua Demon Hill and Edna Collins.

My Last Laugh was a wire-to-wire winner in 1:57.2 in his NYSS split.

The second division of the sire stakes carried a purse of $33,142. My Last Laugh ($2.80) was an easy wire-to-wire winner with a time of 1:57.2. Stephane Bouchard drove the son of Sealed N Delivered-Fancy Creek Funny to victory. Mathias Meinzinger is the owner and Ray Schnittker, who won the $1.5 million Hambletonian at the Meadowlands with Deweycheatumnhowe, trains My Last Laugh.

Former Batavia dash leading driver Jim Morrill, Jr. took the fourth race with Sea Suds ($3.50), in the third division of the New York Sire Stakes. With a purse of $32,542, Morrill guided the Riverboat King-TJ Run colt to a half-length victory in 2:00.2. The winner is owned by James Dunn and trained by Todd Marciano.

Sire stakes action continued in race five, carrying a purse of $32,542. Big Rock Star was the winner with a time of 1:59.1. Dan Cappello, Jr. put the Art Major-Musical Tone colt on the lead and he went coast to coast to win by two lengths. Paying $13.20 to win, the colt is owned by Bluechip Bloodstock, Stephen Demeter and Scott Kimelman. Edward Hart is the trainer.

Paul White photos

Woodstock Hanover (#5) rallied for a 1:57.2 triumph in his NYSS division.

The second to last stakes race of the evening was the ninth race on the card. With a purse of $32,542, Woodstock Hanover got up in deep stretch despite a tough uncovered first-over journey to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:57.2 for reinsman Stephane Bouchard. He is a Bettor’s Delight-Western Duel colt. Woodstock Hanover ($4.40) is owned by David Scharf, Adam Victor & Son Stable, and Kenneth Tucci. Noel Daley is the trainer.

Race ten, with a purse of $32,542, concluded the stakes action. This division went to the Bettor’s Delight-Red Hot Heather colt Bull Rush. Stephane Bouchard put Bull Rush on the lead, backed the half down to 1:01.3 and sprinted home in :58, including a :28 final quarter to win by 5-3/4 lengths in 1:59.3. Bull Rush is owned by the partnership of Schnittker, Baldassare, Pachuta and Goldman. Ray Schnittker picked up his second training win on the evening and also capped off a day he surely won’t forget.

Open pacers hit the racetrack for race seven. Michael Scores, the holder of the all-age track record at Batavia Downs with a time of 1:52.1, was in the field and claimed victory with Stephane Bouchard driving by 5-1/2 lengths in a mile of 1:54.3. Michael Scores, who won for the 64th time in his career, is owned by Sandra Compton and trained by James Compton.

Jim Morrill, Jr. and Stephane Bouchard each won four races, although three of Bouchards victory’s came in sire stake races while Morrill won two.

Both drivers will compete in the $10,000 All-Star driver’s challenge, which begins on September 10. This event is co-sponsored by the Purple Haze Stable, the Western New York Harness Horsemen’s Association and Batavia Downs Gaming. All proceeds raised during this event will benefit the Breast Cancer Coalition on Rochester.