By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA The Foiled Again Farewell Tour rolls into Batavia Downs Gaming on Friday night. Foiled Again, the richest horse in harness racing history, will circle the Batavia Downs oval one last time as his final season of racing nears an end. Now 14, Foiled Again faces mandatory retirement on Jan. 1. His very last race will be on Dec. 31 at The Meadows in … [Read more...] about Foiled Again, harness racing’s richest horse, at Batavia on Friday
Horse Racing
Batavia Downs lands New York’s biggest night of harness racing
By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA Little Batavia Downs Gaming will be on the state's biggest harness racing stage when the New York Sire Stakes series brings the 2019 Night of Champions to Genesee County next fall. The Night of Champions features the eight division championship races for 2- and 3-year-old Sire Stakes competitors, with a total purse of $1.8 million. Add in five top-notch … [Read more...] about Batavia Downs lands New York’s biggest night of harness racing
No more passing lane when Batavia Downs opens Monday
By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA When racing returns to Batavia Downs Gaming on Monday night with the first of two consecutive stakes-jammed race programs, one noticeable fixture of the track will be missing: The passing lane. The inside swath of race track that allowed horses to scoot up the inside in the stretch has been eliminated in hopes of creating more active and competitive … [Read more...] about No more passing lane when Batavia Downs opens Monday
Belmont picks: Sure, Justify can win, but so can a few others
By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA Before Justify had even been draped with the viking poms blanket in the winner's circle at Pimlico Race Course, I vowed I'd be playing any logical contender in Belmont Stakes before I'd play the Derby and Preakness winner. Now, on the eve of the 150th running of the Belmont Stakes, I'm not so sure I can follow through on that plan. Who's good enough … [Read more...] about Belmont picks: Sure, Justify can win, but so can a few others
Kentucky Derby picks: Hoping Good Magic brings good luck
By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA Analytics have taken over sports, changing the way coaches coach, the way managers manage and the way personnel executives construct a roster. Number crunching has proven that over a 162-game baseball schedule, it's OK to swing hard and strive for extreme launch angle. Swinging for the home run is just fine; strikeouts really aren't all that … [Read more...] about Kentucky Derby picks: Hoping Good Magic brings good luck