By Tim Bojarski for Batavia Downs
(Photos courtesy of Wendy J. Lowery)
Batavia, NY — Center Attraction has raced 11 times at Batavia Downs coming into her start on Wednesday (Oct. 25) and has not cut a mile since her first outing back on July 26 when she won by 2-¾ lengths. Ten starts later, Center Attraction was back on the point and simply mauled her competition in the $15,000 Open I Handicap pace for fillies and mares.
Jim McNeight Jr. flew from post five with Center Attraction and opened up a quick three lengths at the :27.4 quarter. With the rest of the field trying to stay close, Center Attraction kept on rolling and extended her lead to four lengths at three-quarters after a stiff :28 third panel. McNeight rounded the last turn and headed for home without any opposition and Center Attraction stretched out by 5-¼ lengths at the light where she won in 1:53.4 and took a new lifetime mark.
It was the seventh win of the year for Center Attraction ($2.90) who has now earned $66,814 this year for owners Pamela Schieber and Robert Anderson, who also trains the mare.
One race later in the $11,500 mid-level condition for distaff side-wheelers, A Black Diamond (Kevin Cummings) left from post six and ducked-in second where she sat a cozy pocket trip behind Its Mesmerise A (Kyle Swift) through quarters of :26.4, :56 and 1:25.1 before she continued to trip-out around the last turn to the top of the stretch. There, Cummings dipped into the passing lane with A Black Diamond and blew right by Its Mesmerise A by 2-¼ lengths to win in 1:55.1.
It was the 10th victory of the year for A Black Diamond ($10.60) who is owned by Lav Racing Stable and trained by Russell Bratt.
Wednesday’s driving leader was Jim Morrill Jr. who had a grand slam while Shawn McDonough topped the trainers with a hat trick of his own.
Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Friday (Oct. 27) at 6:00 p.m. and there will be a $656 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.