Hamburg, NY – Barn Winner ($10.00) came back home to Buffalo Raceway a ‘winner’ on Friday night (April 12) by posting a length score over Southern Palms in the $13,000 Open Trot.

Campaigning at Northfield Park thus far this season, Barn Winner had a pair of second place finishes in his last three starts before shuffling back to Buffalo Raceway.

Barn Winner returned home to Buffalo Raceway to score a victory over Southern Palms in the $13,000 Open Trot on Friday. Steve Roth photo

Being assigned the inside post, Barn Winner (Ray Fisher Jr.) got the perfect pocket journey behind the tempo-setting Southern Palms (Drew Monti). With splits of :29.4, :59.2 and 1:301, Southern Palms couldn’t hold back the stretch drive of Barn Winner who cruised to a length win in 2:00.0 over the fast track.

Wheels A Turning (Jim Morrill Jr.), who broke around the first turn, regrouped in time to grab the third place check.

Co-owned by Tanah Merah Farms LCC and the Swift Racing Stable, Ryan Swift trained the 5-year-old gelded Barn Winner (Credit Winner-Hallmarker) The victory, his first in seven attempts, improved his seasonal winnings to $12,210 and $177,483 lifetime.

In the $10,000 Class A Trot, Lougazi, knocking on the door the past two weeks with a pair of second place finishes, got back to winner’s circle with a comfortable two length win over Labatt Hanover in 1:59.1.

Getting away fourth, Lougazi started a slow and steady climb to the top just past the half mile marker, took command at the top of the stretch, and rolled to the popular $3.80 win. Labatt Hanover (Shawn McDonough) rallied late for second while Snapshot Springs (Monti) was awarded third after Empire Earl N broke stride just before the wire.

Owned by Mary Warriner and trained by Swift, it was the first victory of 2019 for Lougazi (Lou’s Legacy-Winning Blade). The 5-year-old gelding has now produced $11,000 in earnings this season and $115,403 in his career.

Fisher Jr., Jim Morrill Jr. and Monti all had driving doubles with Swift conditioning a pair of winners.

Racing resumes on Saturday (April 13) night at 6 p.m. with a 12-race program slated.