Hamburg, NY — Adonis Bay ($4.60) flexed his muscles in Buffalo Raceway’s $12,500 Class AA-Open Pace on Saturday night (June 22) with a length decision over Manceiver in 1:54 over the fast track. It was the second consecutive pace-setting victory for Adonis Bay (Jim Morrill Jr.).

Adonis Bay took no prisoners on Saturday (June 22), going to the lead and never looking back. Steve Roth Photo

Adonis Bay is finding the front end to his liking. Zooming off the starting gate, he was able to set comfortable fractions of :28.2, :57.1 and 1:25.3 and had more than enough as the closers had no answers on a perfect evening for racing. Manceiver (Kevin Cummings) skimmed the pylons and took second while Western Conquest (Ray Fisher Jr.) was third.

Owned by Michael Gentner and trained by Jerry Nugent Jr., it was the third win in 19 attempts this season for Adonis Bay (If I Can Dream-Kiss Me I’m Lucky). The triumph increased the 7-year-old gelding’s earnings to $40,850 this season and $261,755 in his career.

In the co-featured $12,000 Class A-Open Trot, Wheels A Turning (David McNeight III) went three-wide in the final quarter mile and was able to creep past the favored BZ Glide (Mike Caprio) late to register the $18.80 upset in 1:58.

Wheels A Turning, also a winner of two straight, was able get in perfect position in the final panel and edge past BZ Glide in the lane, posting the length victory. Labatt Hanover (Shawn McDonough) held on for third pace.

BZ Glide, cutting the mile with splits of :28.3, :57.3 and 1:27.2 was softened up to the third quarter pole as Southern Palms looked to trot on by. That attempt failed, however, leaving BZ Glide to try and fend off the challenge of Wheel A Turning in the lane. He put up a valiant effort but the 5-year-old mare Wheels A Turning was able to squeeze on by for the score.

Co-owned by the Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, it was the sixth win in 14 tries for Wheels A Turning (Cantab Free-Free Wheeling). The victory upped her 2019 bankroll to $38,500 and $193,902 lifetime.

There were a pair of $10,000 Class A paces on the program. In the first leg, Stratocaster (Morrill Jr.) used a :56.3 back half in collecting a 2-1/2 length victory over Lucky Nadotremblay (Shawn McDonough) in 1:55.4, returning $4.50 for the win.

The other bracket saw Lots Of Lovin (Fisher Jr.) go from seventh and last to first in the stretch and spring the $43.60 shocker in nipping Im So Handsome (Cummings) by a head in a seasonal best of 1:55. 

Racing will resume on Sunday afternoon at 12:30 p.m. with a 15-race program set. There will be a two $57,600 divisions of the New York Sire Stakes for the 3-year-old filly trotters along with a trio of $15,000 Excelsior A events and one $6,700 Excelsior B race. There’s also a $616 carryover in the Pick-5 which begins in the second race.

For more information including the latest news, race replays, results, results, upcoming promotions and simulcast schedule, go to www.buffaloraceway.com