Racing Roundup: Beachy Dream prevails at Buffalo Raceway

The Saturday (May 18) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Buffalo Raceway, Running Aces, Tioga Downs, Saratoga Casino Hotel and Vernon Downs.

Beachy Dream prevails at Buffalo Raceway

Hamburg, NY — Beachy Dream ($12.80) put in a gutsy effort and notched the victory in Buffalo Raceway’s $12,500 Class AA Open Handicap Pace on Saturday night (May 18).

Beachy Dream captures the featured event at Buffalo Raceway. Steve Roth photo.

The tempo-setting Beachy Dream found plenty of challengers in the stretch but had just enough to hold off the serious late bids of Rose Run Ranger and Heaven Rocks who finished second and third respectively.

Putting up splits of :27.3, :56.3 and 1:26.1, Beachy Dream braced himself for the expected charge to the finish line and the closers didn’t disappoint.

Rose Run Ranger (Ray Fisher Jr.) took dead aim on Beachy Dream on the outside while Heaven Rocks (Drew Monti) mounted his bid through the passing lane. But those attempts were thwarted as driver Cummings kept Beachy Dream on task and posted the narrow win in 1:55.0.

Owned by Mike Torcello and trained by Gerry Sarama, it was the fifth win in 14 outings for the 8-year-old gelded Beachy Dream (If I Can Dream-Beachy Girl). The victory improved his 2019 earnings to $38,295 and $218,435 in his career.

In the $11,500 Class AA Open Handicap Pace, Upfront Countryboy (Fisher Jr.) went from last to first and turned back Charmbo Orbit (David McNeight III) by a half length in 1:54.4.

After watching Charmbo Orbit set the splits of :28.4, :58.1 and 1:26.4, Upfront Countryboy ($11.80) sat last but began to gobble up ground just past the half.

Reaching the lead, it appeared Upfront Countryboy was about to drop anchor at the top of the stretch but Fisher Jr. re-rallied the 10-year gelding and took the win. Charmbo Orbit held on for second with Andy’s Ideal (Mike Caprio) finishing in third.

Trained by James Clouser Jr. and owned by William Emmons, it was the fourth win in 15 attempts for Upfront Countryboy (Dragon Again-Cambloid). The win sent his earnings to $37,845 this year and $477,265 lifetime.

A F F Bigdaddy (David McNeight III) collected the $4.90 decision in the $10,000 Class A pace with a two length nod over Focus Power in 1:55.2.

It was the fourth victory in 10 tries for A F F Bigdaddy who is owned by Rose Campbell and trained by Steve Kiblin. The triumph moved his seasonal winnings to $22,440 and $101,465 lifetime.

Shawn McDonough and Fisher Jr. had driving doubles while Clouser Jr. collected three training wins and McDonough two.

Racing will resume on Wednesday evening with a nine race program set for 5 p.m.

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

— by Brian Mazurek

Running Aces

The opening night card at Running Aces featured the $14,000 Open Handicap Pace and promised to be a good contest. Stuckey Dote was installed as the 6-5 morning line favorite after having a career best mile at El Dorado Scioto Downs in 1:50.3. Stuckey Dote got in gear early with a sweeping move into the first turn to establish the lead over Firedrake (Brian Detgen) who got away quickly from post six, and secured the pocket through a :27.2 opening quarter. Driver Rick Magee settled his charge down nicely on the front and registered a :30 second breather in the second panel. From there, they weathered a good challenge from King Of The Crop (Steve Wiseman) through the final half-mile. Firedrake saving ground and closing late to make it close for the place spot. Stuckey Dote paced home strong to register a 3-1/4 length tally over King of The Crop and Firedrake in 1:54.1 for his 30th career win from 90 starts. The winning trainer is Brett Ballinger and winning owner is Merlin Van Oterloo. Longshots dominated the middle part of the opening night program, with Brushin Albert (Dean Magee) registering a 16-1 upset in the third contest, paying $34.20. Race four was won by Cenalta Cougar ($44.80) with driver Tim Maier, who would go on to lead the night with three wins. The longshot trail continued in the fifth race when Trinitysfancyfilly (Brian Detgen) scored at just under 10-1 for a $21.60 payout.
Stuckey Dote delivered in the featured seventh as the favorite, and Tim Maier completed both halves of the late double while favored in both events (Fox Valley Nemitz, paying $3.80, and Crystal Hotspur paying $5.20)Live racing returns to Running Aces on Sunday (May 19) with first post at 6 p.m. Central.

Tioga Downs

Roundtown Rocker (Jim Taggart Jr.) charged late to take the Tioga Downs featured pace ($9,000) on Saturday (May 18).
Meadowbranch Ricky put up all the early fractions (:27.4, :57.0, 1:25.2). Roundtown Rocker ($14.20), who is trained by Rick Dane for owners Scott Dane and the Rock&Roll Stable, was third after three-quarters. He went flying in the stretch and wore down second place finisher Meadowbranch Ricky to win in a seasonal best time of 1:55.3. Jack Rules (Andy Santeramo) came up late to finish third. Roundtown Rocker is a 6-year-old gelding by Hard Rock N Roll. It was his second win this season. He now has 33 career victories. Jim Taggart Jr. had two more wins on the night. His other wins came with Soho Hanover ($9.00) and Six Bax ($6.00). Live racing returns to Tioga Downs with a 13-race card on Sunday (May 19) starting at 1 p.m. For more information go to www.tiogadowns.com.

Saratoga Casino Hotel

In A Single Bound (Roll With Joe) won his first local Open Pace last month at Saratoga Casino Hotel and the Monica Krist trainee has become a staple in the feature ever since. On Saturday night, the 5-year-old started from post position one and wound up getting a pocket trip behind Mar Nien A (Greg Merton), the race’s other 8-5 co-favorite. After checking in at three-quarters in 1:23.2, Mar Nien A still appeared strong but was met with a late challenge from In A Single Bound who came flying up the passing lane. Those two hit the wire a nose apart, but it was the Krist-trained pacer who prevailed, stopping the timer in 1:51.3 for his fourth victory of the year. Mar Nien A had to settle for second while Carolina Beach (Mark Beckwith) earned the show spot. The win was the 20th in the career of In A Single Bound in just 48 lifetime starts. The exacta comprised of the pair of 8-5 shots paid $23 while the triple returned $47.80. Leading driver Billy Dobson, who celebrated his birthday on Saturday, piloted the Open winner as well as another for Krist on the card. Their Half A Billion (Sportswriter) set a lifetime mark in a $10,000 event for pacers, going coast-to-coast in 1:51.3, the same final time as his stablemate In A Single Bound scored in in the evening’s feature. Live racing continues on Sunday afternoon with a 12 p.m. noon first post.

Vernon Downs

Bay Rum (John MacDonald) won the featured pace ($6,000) at Vernon Downs on Saturday (May 18). Electrofire (Jennifer Lappe) charged to the front and put up all the early numbers (:27.1, :57.2, 1:26.1). Bay Rum ($5.40) owned by Glasser Racing LLC and trained by Homer Hochstetler, sat in the pocket until he reached the stretch. He would go right by to win in a seasonal best time of 1:53.2. Electrofire hung on for second with Skip Jive (Jimmy Whittemore) earning third place money. Bay Rum is a 6-year-old gelding by Real Desire. It was his fourth win this season.  He has 15 career victories. John MacDonald had four wins on the card. His other wins came with Haulin Oats ($7.10), Leviathan ($7.30), and Western Toro ($4.80). Claude Huckabone III trained and drove three winners on the night. His wins came with Gaius Crastinus ($5.80), Passa-Grille Beach ($35.60), and Redhot Romeo ($12.20). Vernon Downs returns to live racing on Friday (May 24) with a post time of 6:10 p.m. For more information go to www.vernondowns.com.

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