By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs
(Photos courtesy of Wendy J. Lowery)
Batavia, NY — In what can only be described as a dominant performance, Lip Reader A overpowered a solid field of sidewheelers in the $13,500 Open Handicap pace at Batavia Downs on Saturday (Sept. 12).
Drew Monti sent Lip Reader A right to the front from post five and went :28.1 and :56.3 to the half while Luck Is Up (Brett Macdonald) was drafting in the pocket. As the race made its way onto the backstretch, Livonjaxandqueens (Denny Bucceri) moved first-up on the rim and worked his way into second, but 1-¼ lengths behind and alongside Luck Is Up. The challenge left Lip Reader A unfazed as they rounded the far turn because his best was yet to come. When they got to the top of the stretch, Lip Reader A simply swelled up and bolted home as he opened up a 4-¾ length bulge at the line where he won in 1:52.3, which was a new seasonal mark for the winner.
It was the seventh win of the year and 51st career win for the 12-year-old Lip Reader A ($5.86), who is owned by Vogel and Wags Nags and Team Rice Racing and trained by Maria Rice.
Lip Reader A was one of three winners for Monti, who was the leading driver for Saturday.
The featured trot on Saturday was the $11,000 Class AA condition which was won by longshot Fiftyfour K, who benefitted from dropping out of the Open and drawing an inside post.
John Cummings Jr. took Fiftyfour K back to third as Cool Clifford (Dave McNeight III) and Crazy Ritz (Joe Chindano Jr.) traded leads before the :28 quarter, with the latter then taking the field to the half in :58. Crazy Ritz got a short breather, but Fiftyfour K came calling first-over and locked-up with Crazy Ritz with both drivers highly animated in their attempts to hold the lead at three-quarters. Fiftyfour K moved to first by a head, but Crazy Ritz fought back in the turn and went ahead by a length at the top of the stretch. But Fiftyfour K caught a second wind and moved back ahead of Crazy Ritz, and then held off a late charge by Chamba (Shawn Gray) to win by one-half length in 1:57.1.
Fiftyfour K ($49.02) is owned by his trainer, Andy Torre, in partnership with Kristin Torre.
Dave Russo and Sam Smith both had two wins to lead all trainers on Saturday.
The guaranteed pool in thePick-5 wager on Saturday paid off well for those who hit it as the 2-2-4-6-3 combination returned $1,200.42 for the 50-cent wager.
Live racing will resume at Batavia Downs on Wednesday (Sept. 16) at 5 p.m. and there will be $2,653 carryover in the Jackpot Hi-5 pentafecta wager in the 12th race.
Just a reminder that post time for this Thursday (Sept. 17) has been moved to 2 p.m. to free up the evening for harness racing members of Bills Mafia as the Buffalo Bills play their highly anticipated first home game of the season in the New Highmark Stadium.
Free full card past performance programs for every live card of racing at Batavia Downs can always be downloaded at the track’s website (bataviadownsgaming.com) under the “Live Racing” tab. And you can watch all the races live as they happen for free on the Batavia Downs YouTube page.
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Batavia Downs Results Saturday Sep 12, 2026
1st – $8,000 Pace 1:56.0
2-Colton’s Charm (An Monti) 4.54 3.08 2.66
1-Pepper Jack Flash (Ky Cummings) 4.80 3.36
6-Cold Decked (Wa Tomaszewski) 5.46
EXACTA (2/1) $8.42
TRIFECTA (2/1/6) $37.86
Also – D A Magic Mike, Connor B, Fox Valley Cayman, Pink Floyd Hanover, Carrythetorchman
2nd – $11,000 Trot 1:57.1
2-Fiftyfour K (Jo Cummings Jr) 49.02 13.16 9.82
5-Chamba (Sh Gray) 18.50 9.32
1-Crazy Ritz (Jo Chindano Jr.) 2.20
EXACTA (2/5) $68.80
TRIFECTA (2/5/1) $431.05
SUPERFECTA (2/1-8/1-8/1-8) $4.59
EARLY DOUBLE (2/2) $77.05
Also – Beacon Beach, Spanish Room, Double Class, Cool Clifford, Mister Squeeze
3rd – $8,000 Pace 1:54.2
4-Hunt For Cash (Jo Chindano Jr.) 4.60 2.78 2.14
1-Memphistennessee N (An Monti) 2.74 2.14
5-Brutus Bayama (Br Macdonald) 2.40
EXACTA (4/1) $4.45
TRIFECTA (4/1/5) $4.94
SUPERFECTA (4/1/5/3) $4.56
Also – Lookinlikeamillion, Cash Back, Viva Las Vegas N, Northern Rein, Long Shot Buckets
4th – $9,500 Trot 1:58.3
6-Uncle Archie (Ke Cummings) 5.54 4.08 2.20
2-Munk (Da McNeight III) 2.98 2.10
1-Allsummerlong As (Br Macdonald) 2.10
EXACTA (6/2) $6.99
TRIFECTA (6/2/1) $5.04
SUPERFECTA (6/2/1/3) $17.12
Also – Gone Crazee, Amigo Mio, Chapter Twelve, Credarena, Biscoe
5th – $5,000 Pace 1:56.1
3-Mach Le More A (Br Macdonald) 4.64 2.80 2.50
2-Contact Zone (An Monti) 2.94 2.52
4-Out On Bail (Wa Tomaszewski) 4.98
EXACTA (3/2) $5.30
TRIFECTA (3/2/4) $9.79
SUPERFECTA (3/2/4/6) $64.55
DAILY DOUBLE (6/3) $11.98
PICK 5 (2/2/4/6/3) $1,200.42
Also – Governor Jk, Silverhill Blaze, Dogfight, Bold Bet, Bet On Buter, Confidence Man
6th – $13,500 Pace 1:52.3
5-Lip Reader A (An Monti) 5.86 2.76 2.30
1-Luck Is Up (Br Macdonald) 2.56 2.10
6-Livonjaxandqueens (De Bucceri) 3.04
EXACTA (5/1) $6.16
TRIFECTA (5/1/6) $20.67
SUPERFECTA (5/1/6/2) $26.31
PICK 4 (4/6/3/5) $34.88
Also – Moved Bythe Spirit, Thunder Country, Lanjo Lee, Lyons Surfing
7th – $11,600 Pace 1:53.4
3-Italian Lad N (Sh Gray) 7.96 4.32 3.42
1-Winmebak (Br Macdonald) 6.72 4.58
4-Beach Choice (Wa Tomaszewski) 6.70
EXACTA (3/1) $17.56
TRIFECTA (3/1/4) $45.93
SUPERFECTA (3/1/4/2) $41.89
Also – Avion Seelster, Toreador Gb, Ontop Rainman, Total Stranger, Odds On Anubis
8th – $9,500 Trot 1:58.2
3-Infinity Stone (Ke Cummings) 3.26 2.42 2.34
1-Whats The Point (Da McNeight III) 3.40 2.64
6-Bars Open (Ky Cummings) 7.14
EXACTA (3/1) $4.57
TRIFECTA (3/1/6) $19.81
SUPERFECTA (3/1/6/4) $70.98
Also – Skyway Professor, Latavius, Star Pilot, Rc Enterprise
9th – $5,000 Pace 1:55.1
4-Manhattan Artist (De Bucceri) 5.72 2.14 2.10
1-Mingo Joel (Sh Gray) 2.10 2.10
6-Wayfairen Stranger (Wa Tomaszewski) 3.12
EXACTA (4/1) $4.16
TRIFECTA (4/1/6) $4.57
SUPERFECTA (4/1/6/2) $5.54
DAILY DOUBLE (3/4) $5.71
Scratched: The Downtown Bus
Also – Ramapo Ccl, Sweet Ideal, P L Quarantine, Hes Got Swagger
10th – $6,500 Pace 1:55.2
4-Seaside Sunset (Ky Cummings) 4.04 3.02 2.42
5-Mask On Mask Off (An Monti) 6.76 4.30
1-Dry Ridge Ace (Ke Cummings) 4.38
EXACTA (4/5) $10.79
TRIFECTA (4/5/1) $14.14
SUPERFECTA (4/5/1/2) $17.94
PICK 4 (3/3/4/4) $32.32
Also – Ideal Artillery, Counter Offer, Kid From The Bronx, Sunshine Shelby N
11th – $5,000 Pace 1:57.0
5-Miss Rockadali (An Monti) 4.88 3.20 2.24
2-Already Sassy (Ke Cummings) 3.64 2.74
6-Bolt Of Beauty (Br Macdonald) 3.32
EXACTA (5/2) $8.15
TRIFECTA (5/2/6) $15.21
SUPERFECTA (5/2/6/4) $21.44
DAILY DOUBLE (4/5) $7.33
PICK 3 (4/4/5) $7.51
Also – Bettor B Sawyer, Infallible Norma, Justine, Albright, Hope You Dance
12th – $6,500 Pace 1:55.2
1-Skyway Ballistic (Sh Gray) 3.42 2.32 2.10
2-Jms Best Bet (Ke Cummings) 2.50 2.10
5-Bryant Seelster (Mi Baumeister) 3.66
EXACTA (1/2) $2.70
TRIFECTA (1/2/5) $4.92
SUPERFECTA (1/2/5/3) $6.63
Scratched: Ohare Hanover
Also – Helsinki, Mc Man, Motive Hanover
13th – $9,500 Pace 1:54.2
5-Venier Hanover (Br Macdonald) 12.58 5.58 3.84
3-Premier Dreamer (Ky Cummings) 17.06 8.76
4-Dance Machine (De Bucceri) 11.54
EXACTA (5/3) $75.20
TRIFECTA (5/3/4) $1,182.18
SUPERFECTA (5/3/4/1-9) $464.11
LATE DOUBLE (1/5) $12.39
PICK 3 (5/1,6/5) $14.66
JACKPOT SUPER HIGH FIVE ()
Also – Yankee Clout, Sugar Shock, Soul Assassin, One Corona To Go, Marvellous Mac A, Fernetti N