It was the first Saturday night (July 24) card of the meet at Batavia Downs and driver Jim Morrill Jr. and trainer Maria Rice put on a clinic on the track for the fans in the stands.
Morrill had a natural Grand Slam in Races 6, 7, 8 and 9 and Rice had a natural Hat Trick in Races 7, 8 and 9. Between the pair, they swept the top three feature races of the night.
In the $11,200 Open I Handicap Pace, Morrill sent Art Scene to the front and never looked back. Cutting fractions of :27.4, :56 and 1:24.1 with as much as a three-length lead, Art Scene turned for home looking solid. But Endeavors Pride had been tracking the leader from the pocket and left that spot for the stretch drive. Endeavors Pride cut into the 1-1/2-length deficit as Kevin Cummings drove him down the lane, but Art Scene had enough in the tank and hit the beam in front by a neck in 1:53.4.
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