A sloppy track combined with heavy snow that started to fall after the third race provided some messy going at Batavia Downs on Thursday afternoon (Jan. 11), but it didn’t take away from competitive racing and several very close finishes.
The 2024 winter meet kicked off at Batavia Downs on Thursday (Jan. 4) and the wagering success the track realized last year picked up right where it left off as a new single card handle record was set during opening day. Betting from all sources totalled $390,922 and that easily topped the old record of $348,205 set last February.
Chapheart drew post seven in the field of eight contesting for $15,000 in the Winners Over/Open Handicap at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Sunday (Sept. 24) afternoon, but the Melissa Beckwith trainee pedaled on to victory in spite of his outside draw.
They saved the best for last at Plainridge Park on Tuesday afternoon (Aug. 22) as the featured $22,500 Winners-Over trot was carded as the final event. Little separated the short five-horse field and Big Al M’s winning margin of victory was proof of that.
Former Batavia Downs driving regular Larry Stalbaum has only been racing at the Downs as a part-time ship-in in recent years as his base of operations has moved away from Western New York. But after spending more time in Genesee County this past year, Stalbaum was a force to be reckoned with on the opening day of the first winter meet in over 20 years as he trained and drove