Track Talk: Batavia Downs
Batavia Downs' all-time track records for both trotting and pacing will be in danger Saturday (Oct. 10), when two nationally prominent horses take their shots at the two richest miles on the Friendly Track's 12-race card.
Trotter Baby Boy Grin, who set the all-ages trot record (1:54 4/5) at historic Yonkers Raceway on Sept. 24, drew the far outside No. 6 post, but still looms as the horse to beat in the $10,000 Brian Schroeder Memorial Trot (fifth race). The 4-year-old pacing-bred gelding won the fastest trotting mile (1:58 2/5) of the Buffalo Raceway season on June 12 when he was in the Jerry Nugent Jr. barn.
He since has been sold and now is in the care of trainer Kimberly Asher and driver Larry Stahlbaum. In his last start, the bay won at Pocono Downs in a lifetime best 1:53 4/5. The Batavia trotting record is owned by Earl, who won in 1:56 in 1993.
The night's pacing star is Foiled Again, a career earner of $934,773 who drew the rail in the $40,000 Robert J. Kane Memorial Invitational. Ranked No. 17 in this week's national media poll, the 5-year-old gelding has won 11 of 20 starts this year and is coming off a 1:50 2/5 victory at Chester Downs. He's trained by Ron Burke and driven by Matt Kakaley.
The Downs' pacing record (1:52) was set in last year's Kane by Kenneth J, driven by Jim Morrill Jr.
--- Bob Summers
