Batavia, NY— Don'tcallmefrancis competed against Racing Hill in the $500,000 Messenger at Yonkers Raceway last year and beat Boston Red Rocks in the $150,000 Abbatiello Classic at the Meadowlands as well. On Saturday evening (Sept. 30) he took on the best resident harness racing pacers in the $10,000 Open Handicap Pace at Batavia Downs and showed that back class in victory.

Leaving from post one, Don'tcallmefrancis (Jim Morrill Jr.) let In Runaway Bay (Ray Fisher Jr.) have the lead for about an eighth of a mile before coming back out to regain the front by the quarter in :27.4. In single file, Morrill backed down the second panel to :57.1 and from there the race was effectively over. There still was no movement from behind until the five-eighths pole when the pocket-sitting In Runaway Bay pulled and gave it his best shot.

In Runaway Bay got within a head of Don'tcallmefrancis around the far turn but Morrill was still hanging on at that point. He went to work at the head of the lane and Don'tcallmefrancis responded in kind. In Runaway Bay would not go away but Don'tcallmefrancis wouldn't let him go by either. The two argued all the way to the wire but Don'tcallmefrancis was clearly the best and hung on to win by a neck in 1:53.1.

It was the sixth 2017 win for Don'tcallmefrancis ($3.00) who has now surpassed the quarter-million dollar mark in lifetime earnings. The 4-year-old gelded son of Rocknroll Hanover is owned by Blindswitch Racing Stable and is trained by Al Annunziata.

The result of the $9,000 Open II pace was never in doubt once the gate released the field as Lucky McTrucky (Drew Monti) was a strong front-runner that led the whole race, opened up two-lengths at the head of the stretch and cruised home under mild urging to win in 1:53, which was a new seasonal mark.

Lucky McTrucky ($8.10) is owned by Tessa Roland and trained by JD Perrin.

Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Wednesday (Oct. 4) with post time at 5 p.m.

By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs