Batavia, NY — Dave McNeight III came into Saturday (July 25) night needing three victories to reach a career milestone of 2,000 driving wins and “Triple Sticks” got the job done. After scoring two wins during the night with Avion Seelster and Ashlee’s Delight, McNeight grabbed the nightcap with Skyline Blue Chip to end the program with exactly 2,000 wins.
McNeight comes from a family who’s been competing in harness racing in Western New York since the 1960s. His father, grandfather, uncle and cousins have all trained and driven in thousands of races and Dave’s success has developed from those generations of successes before him.
He was first licensed in 2008 when he was 18 years old, and he started driving fulltime in 2010. Since that time, the now 36-year-old has had 16,467 starts with 2,000 wins, 2,114 seconds and 2,195 thirds with $14.3 million in earnings and a career UDR of .237. He is a regular top five driver in the local driving colony year after year and finished fourth for dash wins at Batavia Downs last year.
Turning to other action on the track, there were three $9,500 Class A tilts that topped the ticket on Saturday night.
The first event was a pace, where Avion Seelster notched his sixth win of the year.
Avion Seelster (McNeight) sat second behind Ideal Perfect Ten (Ray Fisher Jr.) through quarters of :28, :57.3 and 1:26.1 as the leader only dealt with a mild bid from Dont Poke The Bear (Brett Macdonald) during that third quarter. After rounding the last turn, McNeight tipped Avion Seelster around Ideal Perfect Ten and motored to the lead and a 1-1/4-length win in 1:54.4.
Avion Seelster ($3.62) is owned by Jackie Giuliani and trained by Dave McNeight Jr.
The next two races were trots, the first won by Seventier, who kept his winning streak alive.
Seventier (Macdonald) got away sixth and eight lengths behind Kenobi (Joe Chindano Jr.) and Double Class (Shawn Gray), who battled side by side through early quarters of :29.3 and :58.1. As the race motored past five-eighths, Macdonald pulled Seventier and moved quickly into third behind the winded Double Class, whom he then drafted behind for the final turn. Just before entering the stretch, Macdonald sent Seventier three-high, who then swelled up and trotted home clear by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:57.4.
It was the third win in a row, sixth out of the last seven and seventh of the year for Seventier ($8.18), who is owned by El Dorado Stables and Mike Torcello and trained by Sam Smith.
The next was won by Said N Done As, who took full advantage of class and post relief.
Said N Done As (Gray) grabbed a quick, early lead and took no prisoners from there as he stepped off fractions of :28.3, :59.3 and 1:28.4, while Security Code S (Macdonald) followed intently from the garden spot. At the top of the stretch, Security Code S came hard at Said N Done As and made up all but a half-length before Said N Done As closed the deal by winning in 1:58.1.
Said N Done As ($5.80) is owned by Barry Franklin and trained by Ron Beback Jr.
McNeight III’s hat trick was matched by Macdonald and they ended as co-leading drivers on Saturday, while McNeight Jr. and Smith also tied as top trainers with two wins apiece during the proceedings.
Live racing will resume at Batavia Downs on Sunday (July 26) at 12:15 p.m. (EDT).
Free full card past performance programs for every live card of racing at Batavia Downs can always be downloaded at the track’s website (bataviadownsgaming.com) under the “Live Racing” tab. And you can watch all the races live as they happen for free on the Batavia Downs YouTube page.