The climax of the Western New York Trackmaster Series for trotters took place at Batavia Downs on Thursday (Feb. 22), with Flyhawk El Fuerte causing a stir in the $27,027 TM79 division.
P C Foreign Affair, under the guidance of Jim Morrill Jr., took the lead from post eight and maintained a solid margin through :28.4, :58.4, and 1:28.4 splits, with Flyhawk El Fuerte closely tracking in second. As they turned for home, John Cummings Jr., aboard Flyhawk El Fuerte, made a decisive move, surging past P C Foreign Affair to secure victory by 2-1/2 lengths in a season's best time of 1:58.3.
Owned by Kathleen Pratt and Andrea Lehmann, and trained by Joe Skowyra, Flyhawk El Fuerte returned $12.20 to win, adding to Skowyra's successful day with two winners.
In the TM74 division, Classic Sunny emerged victorious in the $20,270 final with a time of 2:00.1, driven to victory by Kevin Cummings. The $10,811 split was claimed by Finnick Odair, driven by Brett Beckwith for owner/trainer Rose Russo.
The day's card also featured a trio of Open events showcasing the top horses at the track. In the $20,270 Handicap for fillies and mares, Shecouldbegood N, driven by Kyle Swift, staged a thrilling late rally to overtake Ball Diamond and secure victory in 1:56.3.
Primo Uomo, driven by Brett Beckwith, triumphed in the $18,919 Handicap for male pacers with a new seasonal mark of 1:54.2, fending off Optical Illusion N in a close finish.
E Street, steered by Jim Morrill Jr. and trained by Rachelle Mungillo, dominated the $20,270 Handicap trot with a wire-to-wire victory in a new seasonal best time of 1:58.
Driver Dave McNeight III stood out with three wins on the day, with Magical Mistress, Mayweather Hanover, and VJ Panderosa delivering substantial payouts. The day concluded with a thrilling pentafecta combination yielding $5,524.10 for a 20-cent wager.