On Wednesday, September 25, Center Attraction showcased her competitive edge in an exhilarating stretch run during the $18,243 Distaff Open Pace at Batavia Downs.
With Jim McNeight Jr. at the reins, Center Attraction was positioned perfectly, starting from post one. She sat in second place behind Won Surreal Deal (driven by Kyle Cummings), who set the pace with fractions of :28, :57.1, and 1:25.2. At the last call, Marathon Mary (Drew Monti) made a move from third, challenging the leader. The top mares broke away from the rest of the pack, and as they entered the stretch, Center Attraction veered into the passing lane while Marathon Mary continued to apply pressure on Won Surreal Deal from the outside. The thrilling race saw the three horses racing side by side to the finish, where Center Attraction surged ahead to win by a half-length with a final time of 1:54.3. Marathon Mary secured second, while Won Surreal Deal took third.
The victory marked Center Attraction's fourth win of the year in 16 starts, with odds at $7.50. She is owned by her trainer, Robert Anderson, in collaboration with Pamela Schieber.
In other highlights of the evening, drivers Dave McNeight III and Drew Monti both achieved driving hat tricks, while trainer Chris Petrelli led the card with two wins.
Live harness racing returns to Batavia Downs on Friday, September 27, with a post time of 6 p.m.