Batavia, NY – Driver Drew Monti extended his already seemingly insurmountable lead as the dash win leader at the current Batavia Downs meet after winning six of the 12 races on the program at The Downs on Saturday (Nov. 7) night, including a natural hat trick in races five through seven. Two of those races were the weekly features for each gate that Monti claimed using two different strategies.
In the $13,500 Open Handicap pace, Monti put Lip Reader A on the point and never looked back.
Lip Reader A worked hard for the lead and took it from Luck Is Up (Dave McNeight III) passing the quarter in :27.3. Once on top, Lip Reader A glided to the half in :56.3 and three-quarters in 1:24.4, as Livonjaxandqueens (Denny Bucceri) applied pressure during that :28.1 third panel. But Lip Reader A turned away that challenge and opened up 1-¼ length by the top of the stretch, as the field stacked up behind him. As the race straightened for home, Lip Reader A cruised to the wire under a line drive and won in 1:54.
It was the ninth win of the year and 53rd lifetime in only 200 starts for the venerable 12-year-old Lip Reader A ($4.54), who is owned by Vogel and Wags Nags and Team Rice Racing. Maria Rice trains the winner.
Then Monti won the $13,500 Open Handicap trot with Seventier, who returned to racing action after over two months off and picked up where he left off and registered his fourth win in a row.
Seventier got away last and seven lengths in arrears as Beaueastal (Dave McNeight III) and Crazy Ritz (Jimmy McNeight Jr.) traded leads through the :27.4 first quarter. Crazy Ritz took control and led the field to the half where Chamba (Joe Chindano Jr.) started an outer flow with a mild bid that lasted to five-eighths. At that same time, Seventier was third over in that flow and made a three-wide move around Chamba approaching three-quarters and then drew alongside Crazy Ritz in the last turn. The two trotters matched strides into deep stretch where Seventier pulled away by one-half length and won in 1:57.3.
It was the 11th win in only 19 starts this year, and the 35th lifetime victory for Seventier ($33.06), who is owned by El Dorado Stables and Mike Torcello and trained by Alex Giuliani.
Monti filled in his half dozen with Moved Bythe Spirit (1:56, $6.68), Play Rock (1:55.4, $4.10), Soul Assassin (1:55.3, $6.76) and Winchester Phoenix (1:55, $10.78). Monti’s UDR for the night was .519.
Twelve different trainers each won one race apiece on Saturday.
Live racing will resume at Batavia Downs on Wednesday (Nov. 11) at 5 p.m. and there will be a $32,602 carryover in the Jackpot Super High Five pentafecta wager in the 13th race.
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.