by Brian J. Mazurek, for Buffalo Raceway

Hamburg, NY — Allerage Echo continues his quest for another New York Sire Stakes crown at Buffalo Raceway on Sunday afternoon (June 26) as he headlines the entrants in the two $60,000-plus divisions for the 3-year-old colt and gelding trotters.

Winning the $225,000 Sire Stakes final for 2-year-old colt and gelding trotters in gate-to-wire fashion at Yonkers back on Sept. 26, the lightly raced Allerage Echo looks for his first victory of the 2016 campaign. In last year’s NYSS final, Allerage Echo handed the breaking Dayson his first career loss.

With just three starts in 2016, Allerage Echo (Conway Hall-Echonomical) has a pair of second place finishes in two New York Sire Stake events at Vernon Downs and Tioga. In his last appearance, which came on June 12 at Pocono, Allerage Echo set the tempo but stalled out late to finish seventh.

Tabbed at 7-2 in the morning line from the seven post with Chris Lems in the sulky, the George Ducharme-trained Allerage Echo has earned $261,937 in just nine career starts thanks to five victories. One of those wins last season came at Buffalo Raceway as Allerage Echo went coast-to-coast in posting a five length victory in 2:03.3 over Crown Point in a Sire Stakes contest.

The 5-2 favorite, however, is Just For Today who will score from the three hole with Mark MacDonald aboard. Just For Today (Credit Winner-Brandnewgirlfriend) is fresh off a solid second place finish in the Empire Breeders Classic at Vernon Downs on June 19, losing a 1-1/2 length decision to Dante.

Others set to go in the $61,300 event, slated as the seventh race, are Drazzmatazz (Francisco Del Cid), Smalltownthrowdown (Dan Daley), Southern Palms (Jim Morrill Jr.), Kapow (Kevin Cummings), Omaha Set Hut (Tyler Freese) and Do The Deal (Ake Svanstedt).

In the $60,200 first division, scheduled for the fourth race, it appears to be a wide open affair with several putting in good performances in the EBC last week at Vernon Downs.

The Royal Harry was favored off the rail in the EBC final but finished fourth. He drew the three post on Sunday and is the 2-1 choice on the morning line with Svanstedt in the bike.

Getting the 3-1 odds from the six spot is Thats A Bad Boy (Freese) who took third last week in the EBC. Thats A Bad Boy (Credit Winner-Mathers Ginger) showed some late trot and finished just 3-3/4 lengths back after trailing by nearly 10 lengths. It will be his first taste this season of Sire Stakes competition.

Sir Royson (Jim Marohn Jr.) has a pair of victories in Sire Stakes action thus far in 2016 but was a non factor last week in the EBC finale, finishing eighth by 12-3/4 lengths.

Royal Bachelor (Daley) arrives on an impressive three-race win streak but will be taking on much better and gets the seven spot.

The remainder of the field includes Crazycat (Drew Monti), The Perfect Lindy (MacDonald) and A Jersey Contract (Morrill Jr.).

With hot weather and a fast race track expected, the current track records of 1:56.4 for the colts set by Call Me Out in 2014 and 1:56.1 for the geldings established in 2014 by Gural Hanover are in jeopardy.

The 12-race card is set for 12:30 p.m. with action also slated for the Excelsior A and B divisions. There are also two races in the C.K.G. Billings Amateur Driver competition.

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