HAMBURG, N.Y. --- Lougazi ($3.10) is really beginning to love the inside post. For the third straight week, Lougazi drew the inside and turned it into a winning journey as he snatched the victory in the $12,200 trot on Saturday night (April 27) at Buffalo Raceway. He beat longshot Kilimanjaro NL by a handy 1-1/2 lengths in 1:59.4 over the good track.

 

Photo by Barnstormer Images
Lougazi makes it three straight wins.

In the co-featured $12,200 pace, after a pair of narrow losses, Six Degrees ($3.30) righted the ship and beat Villiam by a length in 1:56.4.

 

BJ's Smitty (David McNeight III) and Flo Lashomb (Joseph Chindano Jr.) both fired off the gate in the featured trot. BJ's Smitty got the advantage as Flo Lashomb broke stride. The miscue allowed Lougazi to keep pylon position and draft behind BJ's Smitty.

 

With fractions of :29.4, :59.4 and 1:30.0, BJ's Smitty turned for home with a narrow lead but the always closing Lougazi sat behind patiently. With the passing lane opening up, driver Ray Fisher Jr. didn't need to urge Lougazi on as the 10-year-old gelding knew exactly what to do for his third straight win from the rail and 61st lifetime victory. Kilimanjaro (Shawn McDonough) used a big charge to take second place while BJ's Smitty held on for third.

 

Owned by Mary Warriner and trained by Ryan Swift, Lougazi (Lou's Legacy-Winning Blade) has now produced $20,592 in earnings this season and $535,458 in his stellar career.

 

Photo by Barnstormer Images
Six Degrees ends near misses in co-feature.

Six Degrees, after a pair of narrow losses by less than a length, got into the win column for the first time this season with a pocket sitting rally over Villiam (Chindano Jr.).

 

Villiam got off to a great start from the seven post and set soft fractions of :30.0, 1:00.0 and 1:28.1. But Six Degrees was sitting in the garden spot and waited to measure out the final move.

 

That move came midway down the long stretch as driver Luke Hanners pulled Six Degrees to the outside and easily cruised past Villiam to register the win.. Street Art (Dan Yetman) skimmed the pylons for third place honors.

 

Owned by Morrison Racing Stables and conditioned by Shawn McDonough, it was the first win in five appearances this season for the 6-year-old gelded Six Degrees (Somebeachsomewhere-Apongee Hanover). The victory vaulted his 2024 bankroll to $12,900 and $177,065 lifetime.

 

Racing returns on Wednesday afternoon beginning at 2:30 p.m. with an 11-race program slated.

 

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