by Tim Bojarski, president, UNY-USHWA

Akron, NY — Open trotting star Mach Ten and Grand Circuit star Aracache Hanover will be feted this Saturday night (Dec. 3) at Batavia Downs Casino by the Upstate New York Chapter of USHWA during the “Night of Distinction” for their achievements in Western New York this year.

Mach Ten won eight times in 2011 on the Buffalo/Batavia circuit.

Mach Ten was a lightly raced 5-year-old when he caught the eye of Diane Mahiques and her trainer Michelle Gramza at Hazel Park, but he always knew how to win. In 27 lifetime starts he had 12 wins. And in those 27 starts he was in the money 23 times. So when the opportunity arose, they knew he was the horse for them.

From the first start under the colors of his new stable, Mach Ten has been a monster on the track in Western New York. In four starts in the top trot class at Buffalo Raceway, Mach Ten scored two victories, a second and a third.

When the meet moved to Batavia Downs, he started off with another win. And that was something he would do every time he set hoof on the track there. In six Batavia starts he scored six wins, including a victory in the $10,000 Brian Schroeder Memorial in 1:57, trouncing a classy field of trotters by six lengths.

He has also recorded wins at Tioga Downs in 1:55.2 and just recently took a lifetime mark of 1:55 at Pocono Downs in October. This year he has earned a whopping $91,375 on the strength of 13 wins and finished in the money 23 out of 28 starts. He was as peerless a horse this year as has come along in quite a while.

Going undefeated in the top class the whole meet is why he was selected Horse of the Meet at Batavia Downs and his overall efforts gained him the Western New York Horse of the Year honors.

Paul White photos

Aracache Hanover scored in 1:51.1 in the Robert J. Kane Memorial Pace.

Millionaire Aracache Hanover has a body of work to be proud of. He won the $525,000 Confederation Cup, the $200,000 Windy City Pace and has raced in the Little Brown Jug and the Breeders Crown. But on Oct. 8 this year, while competing in the Robert J. Kane Memorial Pace at Batavia Downs Casino, he did something that made his owners as proud as winning the biggest purse of his career; he became the fastest horse to ever race in Western New York when he sizzled the Batavia oval in 1:51.1, winning by 2-1/4 lengths while making history in front of a packed house.

His owners, Bill Switala and Jim Martin, live in nearby Clarence, N.Y., and consider Batavia Downs their home track, as they have been going to the races there since they were kids.

The mark of 1:51.1 is one that will be hard to beat and should be the standard there for some time. For that effort, UNY USHWA will present his owners with a trophy commemorating that memorable occasion.

The connections of Mach Ten and Aracache Hanover, along with all the other human and equine stars being honored, will receive their awards in the winner’s circle between races.