Batavia, NY — On Saturday (Aug. 22), Batavia Downs will once again host its signature race, the $50,000 Robert J. Kane Memorial Pace, which annually draws some of the best open class pacers in North America. And this year’s 20th edition of the race is no exception.
With a full field of eight horses going behind the gate, the one who most probably will be sent off as the public’s choice has also drawn post 1.
Twisted Destiny was one of the best 3-year-old pacing colts in the country last year, posting the fifth fastest mile (1:48) and 14th highest earnings ($402,986) of any second-year pacer in North America. Winning multiple Pennsylvania Sire Stakes, the MGM Grand Messenger Stakes (G2) at Yonkers and finishing third by only a neck in the Adios at The Meadows, all contributed to those earnings while facing the best in his class on a week-to-week basis.
As he transitioned to facing older horses this year, Twisted Destiny acclimated very well. He raced in the MGM Borgata Pacing Series at Yonkers, the SendItIn Invitational at Harrah’s Philadelphia and the Graduate Series at the Meadowlands through the first part of this year and only missed two checks in all those engagements.
In July, his training base of operations was changed from Chris Ryder on the East Coast, to Virgil Morgan Jr. in the Midwest, and he has not missed a beat in the process. Since arriving in Ohio, he won two straight races at Eldorado Scioto Downs, including his seasonal mark of 1:49.3. He finished second in his last start at Scioto in 1:49.1 and moves from two recent outside draws to the pylon position for this race and will certainly be a tough out here.
Morgan has assigned the second-leading dash driver at Batavia, Shawn Gray, to pilot Twisted Destiny for this outing. He is the 2-1 morning-line favorite.
Another top competitor in the field is Howlenthehills, who is no stranger to Batavia Downs. The New York-bred gelding raced at The Downs at both 2 and 3 years old in the New York Sire Stakes, winning there his second year in 1:53.3. Since then, he too has had a decent run against older pacers, with most of his action being based at Yonkers.
Last year he saw stakes action in the Charles Juravinski Memorial Cup at Flamboro and the Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial at Saratoga, finishing second and third, respectively, in those events. This year he raced in the Borgata at Yonkers where he scored a win, two seconds and two thirds in the preliminary rounds before drawing post 8 in the final and despite that, still only got beat six lengths.
Matt Kakaley, who has won three previous Kanes, will steer Howlenthehills for trainer Travis Alexander and start from post 4. He is 3-1 on the morning line.
Alexander won the 2024 Kane Memorial with Desperate Man, driven by Kakaley.
Another trainer that is no stranger to the Kane is Hall of Famer Ron Burke, and he will be starting Rick Wink in this year’s edition.
Rick Wink has spent his entire career in the Midwest and was an Ohio Sire Stakes star at 2. Besides that series, he also saw Grand Circuit action at 3 in the Adios, the Carl Milstein Memorial at Northfield Park, the Max C. Hempt Memorial at Pocono Downs and the Monument Circle at Hoosier Park, all facing the top sophomore pacing colts and geldings in North America. Like Twisted Destiny, Rick Wink has moved to the older competition for the first time this year and also competed in the Juravinski at Flamboro. But he has mostly thrived on a steady diet of open class competition at both Miami Valley and Scioto Downs.
Rick Wink has drawn midpack, post 5, and will have local legend Kevin Cummings, who is responsible for two Kane wins, at the lines. He is 9-2 on the morning line.
Burke has won the Kane five times, three times with the legendary Foiled Again and once each with Atta Boy Dan and Dorsoduro Hanover.
Horses with local connections will also be competing in the Kane this year and look to be the first with that distinction to win it in 15 years.
Lanjo Lee has been a familiar face in the Batavia winner’s circle for a couple of years now and has already won the top class here twice this meet, including a 1:53.4, 2-3/4-length Open win in week one back in July.
Livonjaxandqueens competed in the Kane last year and has won multiple Opens at The Downs over the past several years. This season, he has been a resident at Tioga Downs, where he has won three Opens in his last five outings with this year’s best clocking of 1:50.2 taken just two weeks ago.
Lanjo Lee will start from post 3 with Kyle Cummings driving for trainer Tammy Cummings. Livonjaxandqueens drew post 6 and trainer Jim Rothfuss has driver Ridge Warren between the wheels.
Here is the complete field as drawn:
1. Twisted Destiny – Shawn Gray – Virgil Morgan Jr. – 2-1
2. Congressional – Kevin Wallis – Kevin Wallis – 8-1
3. Lanjo Lee – Kyle Cummings – Tammy Cummings – 6-1
4. Howlenthehills – Matt Kakaley – Travis Alexander – 3-1
5. Rick Wink – Kevin Cummings – Ron Burke – 9-2
6. Livonjaxandqueens – Ridge Warren – Jim Rothfuss – 12-1
7. Full Metal Jacket – Leon Bailey – Andy Gardner – 15-1
8. Star Casino N – Colin Kelly – Jared Bako – 15-1
The Robert J. Kane Memorial is named for the former chairman of the board of Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corporation (which owns and operates Batavia Downs and Gaming), Robert J. Kane. Kane worked on the board for 26 years and in 1998 saw the value in purchasing the track that had been shuttered for three years after having its license revoked. The facility has gone through a complete turnaround since then and WROTB has developed the property into the premier entertainment destination in Genesee County, as well as all of Western New York.
The first edition of the Kane was held in 2002. Winners of the race include three-time winner and all-time highest money-earner in the history of the sport, the $7.6 million dollar man Foiled Again. Other winners include Dorsoduro Hanover, Bolt The Duer, Atta Boy Dan, Kenneth J, One More Laugh, Aracache Hanover and Captain Albano, who last year set the all-time track pacing record of 1:50.1 winning the stake.
The $50,000 Robert J. Kane Memorial Pace is programmed as race 10 and is scheduled for an 8 p.m. post time. Post time for the first race on Saturday is 5 p.m. (EDT).