Hamburg, NY — AI ($2.90) broke a long-standing Buffalo Raceway track record for 2-year-old trotting colts on a muggy Wednesday afternoon (July 16) with a hard-fought half length victory over Titans Mischief in the $106,400 New York Sire Stakes for the freshman sidewinders.
Covering the mile in a lifetime best of 1:58.1 over the fast track, AI crushed the old standard of 1:58.3 established on July 13, 2016 by Money MacIntosh (Andy Miller). Earlier this season at Saratoga Raceway on June 22, AI completed the mile in 1:58.3.
The victory for AI also kept him undefeated in his young career with all three decisions coming in the NYSS.
Titans Mischief (Matt Kakaley) did a lot of the heavy lifting in the race, stomping out fractions of :30.1, 1:00.2 and 1:30 1. But AI (Yannick Gingras) stayed glued to the pocket behind Titans Mischief (Matt Kakaley) and made winning his move, turning for home.
It looked like a match was developing between the two, but AI shifted into another gear in mid stretch and rolled past Titans Mischief thanks to a:28.0 final stanza. Angry Pete (John Stark Jr.) took the show position.
Trained by Ron Burke and owned by the Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Hatfield Stables and Knox Services, AI (Chapter Seven-Image Of Bee) has now produced $117,750 in winnings in just three career efforts.
In the $20,000 Excelsior Series race, DW’s Cha-Ching ($8.90) inherited the early lead due to breaking horses and never looked back in registering a 9-1/2-length victory over stablemate Goog Eyes in 2:01.0. Dress Shoes finished in third.
It was a matter of survival in the early going as the heavily favored June From Dunoon tried to step out to the front but broke stride around the first turn along with Stinger and Herecomesdasheriff. DW’s Cha-Ching Phil Fluet) got an early jump on the field by the quarter pole in :30.2 and took full advantage of it.
Goog Eyes (Jim Morrill Jr.) did manage to get alongside DW’s Cha-Ching just before the half mile station but lost contact after that and had to hold back the eventual challenge from Dress Shoes (Drew Monti) for second place honors.
Owned by Donald LaPage and conditioned by Fluet, it was the first win in two tries for the 2-year-old colt DW’s Cha-Ching (Devious Man-Yankeedoodlecandy). The victory was worth $10,000 and increased the bankroll for DW’s Cha-Ching to $12,400 in his brief career.
The final weekend of live racing at Buffalo Raceway begins on Friday afternoon with a 12-race card set for 2:30 p.m. There’s a $799 carryover in the Pick 5 which begins in the second race. Action will then continue on Saturday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. with the season concluding with a special Sunday edition beginning at noon.
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