By Tim Bojarski for Batavia Downs
(Photos courtesy of Wendy J. Lowery)
Batavia, NY — Jim McNeight Jr. had a big night at Batavia Downs on Wednesday (Oct. 4), winning five races on the card including both halves of the early double and a natural hat trick in races eight, nine and 10. The 9th race was the featured $15,000 Open I Handicap pace for fillies and mares where McNeight guided Center Attraction to her second top level win in her last three starts.
Doyoukissfirstdate (Dave McNeight III) rolled to the point off the gate and reached the half unfettered in a modest :58.1 before a four-horse outer flow approached in turn three. Come Out And Play (Jim Morrill Jr.) led that charge, followed by Center Attraction while the pocket-sitting So Amazing (Kyle Cummings) continued to track inside. The top four paced in close proximity to three-quarters and into the last turn where McNeight tipped Center Attraction three-high. At the top of the stretch, Come Out And Play took the lead from Doyoukissfirstdate, but Center Attraction came hard and ran him down at the line by a neck to win in 1:55.1.
Center Attraction ($3.00) got her sixth win of the year for trainer Robert Anderson, who co-owns the winner with Pamela Schiber.
McNeight’s other winners included Veneno (1:58, $4.60), Catch The Wave (1:58, $6.40), Bet I’m Lucky (1:55.1, $8.90) and Cheekie Baby (1:57.3, $17.20).
McNeight is having a career year in all categories in 2023, boasting highs for wins (95), UDR (.241) and earnings ($744,125). And with his wins on Wednesday, he moved ahead of Ray Fisher Jr. into fifth place for dash wins for the current Batavia meet and now sits behind only Kevin Cummings, Jim Morrill Jr., Dave McNeight III and Kyle Cummings in that spot.
The top trainer on Wednesday was Joe Skowyra who had three horses from his stable entered and had all three of them win.
Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Friday (Oct. 6) at 6:00 p.m. and there will be a $2,846 carryover in the Jackpot Hi-5 pentafecta wager in race 13.Free full past performance programs for every live card of racing at Batavia can always be downloaded at the Downs’ website (bataviadownsgaming.com) under the “Live Racing” tab and all the racing action can be viewed as it happens for free at the Batavia Downs Live Facebook page.