I Love My Harness Horse

BATAVIA — Summer Slash took advantage of a step back from last week’s Open into a lower conditioned event at Batavia Downs, where she power-moved to victory in the $12,500 fillies and mares pacing feature on Wednesday (Oct. 9) night.  

EL Commando participated in the first 2 Year Old Schooler of 2024.

Schooling races are designed to allow horses to get used to the car and gate. For the most part, as babies, they are training down by themselves or with a small group of other horses so these schooling races are very important. If you are stabled at a racetrack, like EL Commando is, the babies will see more equipment on the track; tractors and trucks.

All of the 2 year olds need to learn several things as they are getting ready to race:

• To get up to the gate, with other horses on either side of them.
• To accelerate after the gate opens, to sit behind another horse,
• To maintain a certain speed when they are leading,
• To speed up when there is a horse coming on the outside of them.

Schooling races help them experience these things before they start racing.

My camera work was a little shaky, but you can watch the race here. 

After leaving well, Kyle Swift and EL Commando decided to sit second as Kevin Cummings pulled the 2 year old filly out of the pocket to cut the mile by the quarter pole. The quartet of two year olds would make their way around the track without incident to the three quarter pole. Getting itchy in the pocket EL Commando wanted out and Kyle obliged allowing him to pass Kevin Cummings and the filly, finishing the mile first. EL Commando can be a little headstrong, but he’s still learning and he did well in his first schooling mile with other two year olds. Schooling Races Continue on Saturday, May 25, 2024

EL Commando will be back at it on Saturday. Hoping to get more experience as he prepares for his first goal of his 2 year old seaon: Qualifiers. As a 2 year old, he needs to be able to go a mile in at least 2:10. That is qualifying time to two year old trotters at Buffalo Raceway.

I certainly don’t want to jinx him but he has been training down well and I don’t anticipate him having trouble qualifying. He has a few others goals for the year but we’re taking them one at a time.

You can read the full article here!

Article by Tim Bojarski

Photo courtesy of Wendy Lowery

Welcome Dream

Our newest addition is the 2 year old filly named Desperate Dream. She is dual eligible to New York and Maryland Sire Stakes. At the moment, she is turned out in North Carolina and the farm has kindly agreed to keep her there until early January. We will bring her back and begin training her down in hopes of getting her ready for the NY Sire Stakes season. Shares will be available for $220/share.

Here’s a little more info about Dream.

Read Full Story Here

By Tim Bojarksi for Batavia Downs. Photo courtesy of Wendy Lowery

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am behind in wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving and very behind in getting updates to you but it’s coming to the end of the race meet and things are winding down. Even though things are quieter, I plan to bring you weekly updates on Sundays, going forward.

This week has been rather busy however.

The vet visited and both Glitterball and EL Commando are now Geldings! Their castration surgeries went smoothly and they are back jogging and acting like the kids that they are. Glitterball seems to be more focused on his work these days, but in a few weeks I think we’ll see improvement in EL Commando as well. Both colts also had their teeth looked at and Glitterball had his wolf teeth out. EL Commando’s teeth were floated. Next month we’ll work on immunizations.

Summer Slash raced on Wednesday at Batavia Downs and finished 3rd, which I was very happy with. She closed well, with the fastest last quarter of the night. She is in to go again this Wednesday, November 29th. She had a visit to the blacksmith today and should be ready to go on Wednesday.

Pepper Jack Flash continues to enjoy his break. He is turned out in Ohio and will return to Western New York in the New Year.

I am also continuing to look at race horses to purchase. Ideally, I’m looking for something with 2-3 wins and not too many starts this year, that we can race at Batavia in early 2024. If you are interested in purchasing shares of a race horse, let me know!

I hope you all have a great week!