by Todd Haight for Batavia Downs

Batavia, NY—Post positions were drawn Wednesday morning for Saturday night’s fourth annual $25,000 Robert J Kane Memorial Pace at America’s oldest lighted harness track, Batavia Downs Gaming.

Racing fans will be in store for an exciting night of racing at Batavia Downs. Gallo Blue Chip, the richest pacing horse of all-time will be at the track to take pictures with the fans and lead the post parade for the Kane Pace. North America’s leading driver in wins, Tony Morgan, will also be on hand. And there will be a T-shirt giveaway.

This year’s edition of the Kane has shaped up as the fastest field of pacers the track has ever assembled. The seven horses that will go behind the Ken Barrett starting gate for race-8 on the 12 race card have combined lifetime earnings of over $4.5 million dollars. Five pacers have lifetime marks of under 1:50 flat.

The Kane Memorial is named for the former chairman of the board at Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corporation, owner of Batavia Downs Gaming.

Headlining the field is millionaire Georgia Pacific, he heads to the Downs off a win at the Meadows in 1:52.2, and his lifetime earnings are over $1.1 million dollars. His lifetime mark is 1:49.1

The morning line favorite is He Wants It All. Third best last time in the Winbak stakes at the Delaware County Fair, pacing in 1:51. He was a winner two starts back at Saratoga in 1:51.2. He has a lifetime mark of 1:49.1 and career earnings of $790,000. Tony Morgan, the leading driver in wins in North America, will be in to drive.

Edison Hanover will be a horse to be reckoned with. Trained by Mickey Burke, currently the leading trainer in wins in North America, Edison Hanover heads to Batavia off a second place in 1:51.1 at Pocono. He has career-earnings of over $133,000 with a lifetime mark of 1:49.2

Chewy Gross, a veteran campaigner with $570,000 lifetime comes off a track record performance at Vernon Downs winning in 1:50.3. He has a lifetime mark of 1:49.3.

Jr Mint ships in from Harrington where he comes off a fourth place finish, pacing in 1:54.3. “JR” has lifetime earnings of $737,000 and a lifetime mark of 1:49.3.

Life Sizzles a winner of an Open Pace here three starts back has earned $754,000 lifetime and sports a lifetime mark of 1:50.1.

Last but not least is the popular local pacer Michael Scores. Currently tied for second in North America with 16 wins on the season, Michael holds the home court advantage. He has lifetime earnings of over $365,000 and a lifetime mark of 1:53.3.

Richest Pacer Ever to be here

Gallo Blue Chip, the world’s richest pacing horse, will be at Batavia Downs Gaming on October 7 for a special appearance in conjunction with the $25,000 Robert J Kane Memorial pace.

The retired pacer will make a special Winners Circle appearance at 7:00 p.m. Racing fans should bring their cameras, as they will be allowed to enter the Winners Circle and take a picture with the former Horse of the Year. He will also lead the post parade for the featured race of the evening.

Gallo Blue Chip is the richest pacer of all time with earnings of $4,260,959.

A gelded son of Magical Mike, Gallo Blue Chip has many impressive accomplishments. He was the 2000 Horse of the Year and won a pair of million-dollar stakes, the North American Cup and the Meadowlands Pace. He was also the Older Pacer of the year in 2001. Gallo Blue Chip ended his racing career with 53 wins, 19 seconds and 9 thirds from 133 starts. His lifetime best win mark was 1:48.4.