by Todd Haight, for Batavia Downs

Batavia, NY — Four New York bred Late Closers were held on Friday night (September 21) at Batavia Downs Gaming and one produced a new track record.

William G. Van Bramer and Harold Smith’s Princess Maddie established the new record for 2-year-old trotting fillies when she took the final late closer of the evening in 2:00.4. That was a fifth of a second faster then the previous mark set by Chippewa Street in 2006.

Princess Maddie, with Jim Morrill, Jr. in the sulky, fired out of the gate, but had to sit in the pocket as Tierra and John Stark, Jr. wanted to cut the mile. Those two fillies opened up a huge margin on the others in the field that either broke or were bothered by breakers.

Tierra and Princess Maddie remained well clear as they turned for home. Down the stretch, Morrill angled the daughter of Dilbert Hanover to the outside and they roared by pacesetter Tierra to win going away by two lengths. Tierra finished clearly second best, while Fancy Wine and Alan Schwartz came on after early trouble to be third.

Jeff Deslandes trains Princess Maddie, who notched her sixth victory of the season and raised her lifetime earnings to over $67,000. Going off as the odds-on favorite, Princess Maddie returned $3.60 to win.

Splendid Les is splendid in featured $10,000 trot

Barnik Stables’ Splendid Les put his winning streak on the line Friday night when he shipped in from Saratoga and took on Western New York’s best trotters in the featured $10,000 Open Handicap Trot. He headed back with the first place check and his third win in a row.

Leaving from post six, Splendid Les, with driver/trainer John Stark, Jr. in the bike, got away second in the weekly trotting feature. They simply bided their time in the pocket as early leader Craiger and No More Gold were slugging it out as the classy field of seven made their final swing. Turning for home, “Starky” came off the rail and stormed by the dueling leaders to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:57.4.

Splendid Les, a 6-year-old son of Angus Hall, raised his seasonal earnings to over $60,000 and returned $4.90 to win.

Jimmy’s back

Racing fans anxiously awaiting the return of leading driver Jim Morrill, Jr. didn’t have to wait long to see him return to the winner’s circle as he brought home both ends of the early daily double. Before the night was over the former Meadowlands regular would make five trips to the winner’s circle.

Morrill spent the first eight weeks of the Batavia Downs meet driving out of town in New York Sires Stakes events. He plans on racing at the Downs on weekends.

Racing returns on Saturday

The final 7:35 p.m. post time of the season will be on Saturday night, September 22. Post time moves up to 7:05 p.m. beginning on Wednesday night, September 26.

The feature race of the evening will be race nine, a $9,000 Open II Pace. Betty Tauber’s Scudder starts out at 5-2 on the morning line. Regular driver Ken Holliday will be in the sulky for trainer Sherri Holliday.

In addition to live harness racing, Batavia Downs Gaming offers the best of simulcast action on Wednesday through Sunday, fine food in the clubhouse and video gaming. The gaming floor, which features 591 video gaming terminals, is open from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight, Sunday through Thursday, and from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. For more information visit www.bataviadownsgaming.com.