Hamburg, NY –  American Mercury ($6.50) overcame the outside post to start to overwhelm Major March in the stretch to collect the victory in the $118,800 New York Sire Stakes event for the 3-year-old colts and geldings pacers at Buffalo Raceway on Wednesday night (June 5).

Covering the mile in 1:52.4, in was the second straight NYSS victory for American Mercury.

“It’s a steep hill to climb from the eight post here at Buffalo,” Buter said after the race. “I left hard with him but when things straightened up, I let the leaders soften each other up.”

American Mercury scores the win in the NYSS event Wednesday at Buffalo for Tyler Buter. Steve Roth Photo.

Starting from the outside, American Mercury was able to use some early speed and drop into fourth heading up the backstretch the first time. Major March, Melodies Major and Price Hanover showed no mercy toward each other as they battled for early control.

With a smoking opening panel of :26.4 put up by Major March (Jason Bartlett), American Mercury went first over and was able to come to even terms with the pacesetter at the three-quarter pole in 1:24.1. In the meantime, the remaining six entrants found those splits too hot and started to retreat.

It boiled down to a match race in the stretch as American Mercury was just too strong for Major March in scoring the 1-3/4-length win. Reigning Deo (Jim Morrill Jr), the 2-year-old NYSS champion, was third by 10-1/4 lengths.

Trained by Chris Oakes and co-owned by Crawford Farms, Northfork Racing Stable, C. Pompey and S. Bice, it was the third win in four tries this season for American Mercury (American Ideal-Tessa Hanover). The gelding has now earned $106,050 this season and $142,670 lifetime.

There were two $15,000 divisions of the Excelsior A Series. Buter drove Quake Blue Chip ($3) to the opening bracket triumph with a neck score over Murrow Boy (Bartlett) in 1:55.3. Buter made it a sweep at this level with a three-quarters of a length win aboard Rickybobbynthehaus ($4.10). They beat the front-stepping Rollonhighway (Morrill Jr.) in 1:56.3.

The $6,600 Excelsior B Series race saw McNulty Z Tam (Pat Lachance) register a head victory over Dancing To Heaven (Shawn McDonough) in 1:57.3 and return $2.50 to his backers.

Buter and Billy Davis Jr. completed the evening with triples while Oakes had three training victories and Sabrina Clevenger scored two.

Racing will resume on Friday evening (June 7) at 5 p.m. with a 12-race card slated.

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