by Brian J. Mazurek, for Buffalo Raceway
HAMBURG, N.Y. --- The closers were coming late but it was the unexpected charge from E Street in the stretch that got the $20.00 upset victory in the $16,500 Open Trot at Buffalo Raceway on Saturday afternoon (June 25).
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Photo by Bill Burke | ||
E Street uses lightning lane to take win in Open Trot. |
The usual cast of characters in the Open Trot did their normal routine as the speedy Cr Blazin Beauty went out early and set the tempo with fractions of :28.2, :58.1 and 1:27.4. The closers Mugshots Bro and Lougazi were ready to pounce on the pace-setter in the lane and did so but they forgot about the pocket sitting E Street.
Zooming down the passing lane, E Street (Jim McNeight Jr.) was quickest of all and pulled away from the field near the wire and pinned a length loss on Lougazi (Ray Fisher Jr.) and Mugshots Bro (Jim Morrill Jr.). E Street completed the mile in a seasonal best 1:57.2.
Co-owned by Margaret Butler and Amy Butler and trained by Jim McNeight, the 4-year-old E Street (Conway Hall-Highway Cash) has now produced three wins in seven starts this season. The victory jacked his earnings to $19,820 on the campaign and $56,790 lifetime.
In the $12,400 Open II Trot, Castyourcrown drafted along perfectly until deep stretch and managed to sneak by the tempo-setting Photo Bomber by a neck to collect the popular $2.80 victory in 1:58.2.
Photo Bomber (Kevin Cummings) was able to gain the lead off the starting gate and post sensible splits of :30.1, 1:00.2 and 1:30.0. But Castyourcrown (Morrill Jr.) just bided their time and slowly but surely inched on by in the shadow of the wire. Sanchez Rocks (Shawn McDonough) grabbed third place honors.
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Photo by Bill Burke | ||
Castyourcrown sneaks by Photo Bomber for Open II Trot win. |
Co-owned by Blake Daniels and Never Give Up Racing, the 4-year-old gelded Castyourcrown (Dontyouforgetit-Future Cast) is trained by Michael Deruntz. The win upped his seasonal earnings to $49,900 and $130,400 lifetime.
Kyle Cummings had a triple while Morrill Jr. and Kevin Cummings each notched driving doubles on the program.
Racing will continue on Sunday afternoon with a 10-race program set for 1:30 p.m. There's a $500 carryover in the Pick 5 which begins in the second race. Buffalo Raceway will also revert back to its Wednesday, Friday, Saturday schedule this week with post times each day at 1:30 p.m.
For more information including the latest news, upcoming promotions, entries, results and race replays, go to www.buffaloraceway.com