by Todd Haight

Batavia, NY – Leaving little doubt that he is one of the best locally owned pacers ever to compete in Western New York, the popular Michael Scores notched another victory Saturday night at Batavia Downs Gaming.

Paul White photo

Michael Scores notched another victory Saturday night at Batavia Downs Gaming.

Once again assigned post eight in the weekly Open Handicap, Michael Scores, with regular pilot Kevin Cummings, fired out the gate and took over the top from early leader Silver D Moon (Sam Schillaci) past the first quarter in 28.2.

Now in front, the classy son of Held For Ransom dictated the tempo setting fractions of 57.3 and 126.2, with both Silver D Moon and Fleeing The Scene (Tom Agosti), who had found the three-hole, in futile chase in second and third.

Down the stretch “Michael” wanted to go but reinsman Cummings wisely left something in the tank for next weeks $30,000 Kane Memorial finishing the mile under a strangle hold in 1:54.4. Silver D Moon completed the exacta while Fleeing The Scene got the show dough.

Owned in East Bethany by Sandra Bethany and trained by husband Jim, Michael Scores made it to the winners circle for the eleventh time this season and raised his 2007 earnings to over $78,000. He has earned just under $460,000 lifetime. Going off as a prohibitive favorite the 6-year-old Michael Scores returned $2.70 to win.

Michael Scores established the all aged track record of 1:52.1 when he won the 2006 edition of the Robert J. Kane Memorial.