Makadushin N Cheez wires field in Batavia Open

Batavia, NY — Makadushin N Cheez led from gate to wire to win his sixth of the year in the $15,000 Open I Handicap trot at Batavia Downs on Friday (Sept. 29).

Kevin Cummings sent Makadushin N Cheez to the front off the gate and took the full field of nine to the quarter in an easy :29 flat, and put the opposition to sleep with an even slower :59 half. An outer flow formed through turn three but couldn’t get near the leader by three-quarters. That left Makadushin N Cheez still in command with only the pocket-sitting Lunar Credit (Jim McNeight Jr.) and Mugshots Bro (Jim Morrill Jr.) tracking closely. At the top of the lane, Lunar Credit pulled and Mugshots Bro came up the pylons in chase, and they were joined by Joxter (Dan Daley) brushing late from far back. But none would catch Makadushin N Cheez, who won by one-half length in 1:57.3.

Makadushin N Cheez ($2.90) scored his 25th lifetime win for owners Joe D’Agostino, Molly D’Agostino, Philip Kadushin and David Dewhurst, who also trains the winner.

In the $13,000 Open II trot, Good Boy (Ray Fisher Jr.) made a three-wide move from fourth around the breaking Grey Clouds (Dan Daley) in the last turn, caught the front-running Lepanto (Kevin Cummings) and held off the late closing Da Boogie Man (Kyle Cummings) and Gracious Triumph (Jim Morrill Jr.) to win by one-half length in 1:57.2, which was an new lifetime mark.

Mary Warriner owns Good Boy ($3.60) who is trained by Ryan Swift.

Driver Jim Morrill Jr. won three more races on Friday while John Cummings Jr., Kevin Cummings, Kyle Cummings and Ray Fisher Jr. each doubled up.

Live racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Saturday (Sept. 30) at 6:00 p.m. and there will be a $1,013 carryover in the Jackpot Hi-5 pentafecta wager in race 13.

Free full past performance programs for every live card of racing at Batavia can always be downloaded at the Downs’ website (bataviadownsgaming.com) under the “Live Racing” tab and all the racing action can be viewed as it happens for free at the Batavia Downs Live Facebook page.

By Tim Bojarski for Batavia Downs