Spot Play Hot Plays at Batavia Downs for Aug. 9

By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA

Spot Play Hot Plays

For Wednesday, Aug. 9, at Batavia Downs

Race 5

No. 2 Open Water (7-2 morning line). The No. 1 and 3 are mares, and mares shouldn’t pace as fast as the boys. The rest of the field is on the slow side. A prime spot to take charge.

Race 6

No. 1 Hot Patootie (7-2 morning line). Jim Morrill Jr. hops in the bike and, coming off a two-move, overanxious, first-over trip last week, she should be powerful tonight.

Race 8

No. 1 It’s a Miracle (7-2 morning line). For the THIRD week in a row, she’s a SPHP. And if she loses tonight, then very strange things happened. No way she gets stuck behind a stopping horse (as she did on July 26) and no way she ends up at the back of the bus (as she did last week). It’s down the road and to the winner’s circle.

Race 9

No. 8 Ping Pong Hanover (5-1 morning line). I picked him last week, despite a 5-week layoff. He actually raced pretty well, but a premature three-wide charge heading into the final turn caught up to him in the lane. Now he’s got a race in him, and his Meadows back class will shine. The 8-hole ensures a fair price.

Racapping the weekend SPHPs

Friday:

Race 3 Lenny Mac. The program said Drew Monti was driving. He, instead, was on another horse. Mike Caprio got parked on Lenny Mac after a little-oomph leave attempt and that was the end of his night.

Race 4 Sea Star. Sat the 2-hole trip in a fast pace in the slop and went backwards in the lane.

Race 8: Studio City. Got locked in behind a stopping Kahoku and by the time he got out, Striker Ace was gone. Finished a solid second.

Saturday:

Race 2 Magical Cowboy: Went right down the road at odds of 7-1 BUT in insane fractions. Hit the half in :55.4, which is at the Meadowlands would be moderate but at Batavia is suicidal. That’s why Chickenwithabanjo ran by him at the wire.

Race 11 Farmerssixfournine: Bet down to the 6/5 favorite, he left but appeared fumbly-gaited the entire time. Didn’t appear comfortable sitting in the pocket and eventually went on a break at the 5/8ths marker.

Sunday:

Race 2 Candlelight Dinner: Went off as the 1/5 favorite and didn’t make the gate, going on a break.

Race 5 Santana Beach: Bet down from 7/2 morning line to the 1/2 favorite, he jogged to victory.

Race 1 Ain’t No Stoppin: Refused to let Art Again go and those two dueled for 15/16ths of a mile before Out of Texas jogged on by. Art Again finished second and Ain’t No Stoppin third.