Batavia, NY – The curtain fell on the 2025 summer/fall harness racing meet at Batavia Downs on Saturday (Dec. 20) and the Upstate New York Chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association doled out awards to the meet’s leading driver, trainer and horses in trackside presentations during the program.
Drew Monti was named the driver of the meet after he ran away with the dash driving title by 25 wins. His 110 visits to the winner’s enclosure during the meet earned him $819,836 in purses, which was also the highest amount earned by any driver at the meet, excluding stake events.
For the entire year at Batavia, including the winter meet, Monti had a total of 124 wins and $954,561 in purses.
Monti posted career numbers in total during 2025 when considering his driving production at all tracks he competed at. He won a total of 293 races this year with 242 seconds and 241 thirds and showed earnings of $2.71 million.
This was the fourth time Monti has won the driving title at Batavia Downs (2016, 2018, 2024, 2025).
Sam Smith was the trainer of the meet as he guided horses in his care to 64 wins while putting $490,526 in the pockets of their connections. That money total was just shy of $200,000 higher than his nearest competing peer.
When adding in Smith’s Batavia winter meet activities, he showed a total of 82 wins and $634,228 in the bank for all of 2025 at The Downs.
Smith also posted career numbers from all sources this year with 152 wins, 149 seconds and 107 thirds, earning $1.24 million in purses, as well as a personal best .310 UTR for his efforts.
This was the third consecutive training title for Smith (2023, 2024, 2025).
Horses of the meet were also awarded.
Pacer of the Meet – Stranger Things (Western Terror-Southwind Prairie 248-51-34-40, $474,931 – 1:52.2)
Owners-Kathy Schoeffel and James Reuther
Trainer-Angelo Nappo
Drivers-Kevin Cummings, Shawn McDonough, Kyle Cummings
Stranger Things was a six-time winner during the meet including three Open I victories, which was the most by any resident pacer, along with one second and seven thirds and earnings of $46,559. For all of 2025, the venerable 9-year-old scored a total of 11 wins, four seconds and 10 thirds and put $103,889 in the bank. This was the third time Stranger Things has won this award (2022, 2023, 2025).
Trotter of the Meet – Crazy Ritz (Crazy Wow-Bubblesnritz 83-19-20-11, $238,242 – 1:55.2)
Owner-James Palladino
Trainer-Jeff Martin
Driver-Jim McNeight Jr.
Crazy Ritz won a total of five races this meet, including four Open I events, and finished second five more times while earning $45,900 in purses, which was the most by any overnight trotter this session. And his seasonal mark of 1:56 taken during his last start of the year was the second fastest overnight trotting mile of the meet. For the year in total, Crazy Ritz won seven times while finishing second nine times and third twice more while earning $83,680 as a result.
Claimer of the Meet – Avion Seelster (Sportswriter-Aqua Rosa 129-27-25-21, $329,814 – 1:51.3)
Owner-Caeleo Enterprises
Trainer-David Russo
Drivers-Dave McNeight III, Jim Morrill Jr., Kyle Cummings, Kevin Cummings
After going 0-for-8 in an abbreviated 2024 season due to an injury, Avion Seelster bounced back in a big way as the best claimer on the grounds at Batavia this meet. He won eight races and finished second twice and third three times while earning $40,313, which was the most money earned by any claimer on the grounds this meet, and he did it in claiming races as high as $15,000. For all of 2025, Avion Seelster won nine times and finished second and third four times each, while earning $54,809 in purses.
Avion Seelster fittingly put an exclamation mark on his accomplishment by winning his final race of the season on closing night, right before getting this award.
The management at Batavia Downs would like to thank all the fans, horsemen and staff for their dedication, passion and support this year and look forward to welcoming everyone back in January for another successful season. Happy holidays to all.
Live racing will resume at Batavia Downs on Tuesday, Jan. 13, at 3 p.m. (EST).