Hamburg, NY — The ingredients are all there for what could be one of the most anticipated races in recent memory at Buffalo Raceway as the 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers arrive for the New York Sire Stakes on Wednesday evening (June 5).

The recipe will include the NYSS 2-year-old colt and gelding pacing champion Reigning Deo. Added to the mix will be Melodies Major, the runner-up to Reigning Deo last season and also the current Buffalo Raceway track record holder for 2-year-old colt pacers with a 1:54.2 time. And if that’s not enough, there will be six other rivals ready to stir the pot as they battle for $118,800, one of the largest purses ever offered at Buffalo Raceway. It will go off as the sixth race on the 12-race program that will begin at 5 p.m.

Reigning Deo (Rock N Roll Heaven-Little Miss K) has been installed as the 3-1 morning line choice out of the six post with Jim Morrill Jr. set to handle the driving duties. It’s been close but no cigar this season for Reigning Deo as the Brett Pelling trainee has three second place finishes in his three outings. There’s plenty of hope though as Reigning Deo was just a neck behind Fromthestartagain last week in Sire Stakes action at Saratoga. Reigning Deo, a winner of $271,413 in his brief career, beat Major Melodies by 1-1/2 lengths in the Night of Champions final last season at Yonkers Raceway. The final time was 1:54.4.

Melodies Major set a track record at Buffalo Raceway last season. Steve Roth photo.

Melodies Major (Art Major-Hilarious) is also in search of his first win of the campaign. He’ll begin the action from the three post for driver Doug McNair with a 5-1 morning line. Trying to cut the mile in his only two appearances in 2019, Melodies Major has finished in third and fourth at Saratoga and Yonkers, respectively. He has bankrolled $222,683 lifetime. Western New York has been great thus far for Melodies Major. Trained by Mark Ford, he scored two NYSS victories last season, each in track record times. He made his first mark at Buffalo Raceway with a 1:54.2 and then at Batavia Downs where he toured the course in 1:54.1.

The current record standards at Buffalo Raceway are 1:52.3 for the geldings set in 2012 by Steelhead Hanover while the colt mark is 1:51.4 established in 2018 by Hitman Hill.

The one to watch out for is Fromthestartagain (So Surreal-From The Start). Drew Monti will be in the sulky and will score from the four spot at 4-1 odds. Not racing as a 2-year-old, Fromthestartagain arrives on a two-race winning streak including a neck decision over Reigning Deo at Saratoga in 1:53 on May 26. He has seven races under his belt with three wins and two third place finishes, good for $47,000 in earnings.

American Mercury, installed at 6-1 from the eight post for driver Tyler Buter, had a nose win in his last try at Saratoga in NYSS competition, covering the mile in 1:52.

The remainder of the field includes Price Hanover (Scott Zeron), Hurrikane Kingklee (Pat Lachance), Major March (Jason Bartlett), and A Major Omen (Billy Davis Jr.).

There will be two $15,000 Excelsior Class A events and a $6,600 Excelsior Class B race.

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