Drew Monti was named driver of the meet after walking away with the sprint driving title with 25 wins. His 110 visits to the winner’s enclosure during the meet earned him $819,836 in purses, which was also the most earned by a driver during the meet, not including stakes events.
During the entire year in Batavia, including the winter competition, Monti achieved a total of 124 wins and $954,561 in prize money.
Monti posted career totals in 2025 when looking at his driving production at all tracks he competed in. He won a total of 293 races this year with 242 seconds and 241 thirds and posted earnings of $2.71 million.
This was the fourth time Monti won the driving title at Batavia Downs (2016, 2018, 2024, 2025).
Sam Smith was the trainer for the race as he guided the horses under his care to 64 victories while putting $490,526 into the pockets of their connections. That cash total was just under $200,000 higher than that of its closest rival.
When Smith’s Batavia winter meet activities were added in, he showed a total of 82 wins and $634,228 in the bank for all of 2025 at The Downs.
Smith also posted career marks from all sources this year with 152 wins, 149 seconds and 107 thirds, earning $1.24 million in purses as well as a personal best .310 UTR for his efforts.
Horses of the meet were also awarded.
Pacer of the Meet – Stranger Things (Western terror-Southwind Prairie 248-51-34-40, $474,931 – 1:52.2)
Owners Kathy Schoeffel and James Reuther
Trainer-Angelo Nappo
Drivers: Kevin Cummings, Shawn McDonough, Kyle Cummings
Stranger Things was a six-time winner at the meet, including three Open I wins, the most of any local pacer, along with one second and seven thirds and earnings of $46,559. Throughout 2025, the venerable 9-year-old scored a total of 11 wins, four seconds and 10 thirds and banked $103,889. This was the third time Stranger Things won this award (2022, 2023, 2025).
Trotter of the Meet – Crazy Ritz (Crazy Wow-Bubblesnritz 83-19-20-11, $238,242 – 1:55.2)
Owner-James Palladino
Trainer-Jeff Martin
Driver-Jim McNeight Jr.
Crazy Ritz won a total of five races this meet, including four Open I events, and finished second five more times while earning $45,900 in purses, which was the most for any overnight trotter this session. And his season mark of 1:56, achieved in his final start of the year, was the second-fastest night trotting mile of the race. In total, Crazy Ritz won seven times this year, while finishing second nine times and third two more times, earning $83,680 in the process.
Claimant of the Meet – Avion Seelster (Sportswriter-Aqua Rosa 129-27-25-21, $329,814 – 1:51.3)
Owner-Caeleo Enterprises
Coach-David Russo
Drivers: Dave McNeight III, Jim Morrill Jr., Kyle Cummings, Kevin Cummings
After going 0-for-8 in a shortened 2024 season due to injury, Avion Seelster returned this game in a big way as the top claimer on the field in Batavia. He won eight races and finished second twice and third three times while earning $40,313, which was the most money made by any claimer on the grounds of this meeting, and he did this by claiming races worth up to $15,000. Throughout 2025, Avion Seelster won nine times and finished second and third four times each, while earning $54,809 in purses.
Avion Seelster fittingly put an exclamation point on his achievement by winning his last race of the season on the final evening, just before receiving this award.
Batavia Downs management would like to thank all fans, riders and staff for their dedication, passion and support this year and look forward to welcoming everyone back in January for another successful season. Happy holidays to everyone.
Live racing will resume at Batavia Downs on Tuesday, January 13 at 3:00 PM (EST).
For full race results, click here: American trotting results.
Through Tim Boyarski, for Batavia Downs
#Monti #Smith #win #Batavia #Downs #Awards