by Sam Pendolino, public relations, Buffalo Raceway

Hamburg, NY — Pine Hill Andie, owned and trained by Stephen H. Holley of Bergen, New York, won Friday’s Open Trot at Buffalo Raceway for driver Alex Giuliani.

This five-year-old Yankee Escapade mare won in the good time of 2:01 flat and paid $24.40. Finishing second was Meadows invader She Frets He Whines with Kris Rickert aboard, and rounding out this threesome was CSI Turn And Burn with Ron Beback, Jr.

“She went pretty easy last week,” said driver Alex Giuliani. “I knew she’d be tough from the two hole.”

In the Fillies and Mares Open Pace, Operating Light won her second in a row and fourth out of her last five here at Buffalo Raceway and paid $3.00 as the heavy betting favorite.

She hit the timer in a really quick 1:58.1 and won by one length over hard charging Al Dusty, with Vernon Smith in the sulky. Gold Magic came in third.

“I knew I had it just past the three-quarter pole,” said driver Richie Mays. “She’s real sharp right now.”

Last year’s Dave Vance Memorial Trot winner Gamesmanship won Friday’s second race, a $5,000 trot. He paid $22.60 to win and coupled with the big favorite, Be My Valentine in Friday’s first race, gave the lucky patrons a $26.40 daily double.

Driven by Michael Baumeister and trained by John Lauzon, this six-year-old Yankee Glide gelding won for the second time this year and was timed in 2:02.2. Finishing second was front-runner Lo-Coal-Motion, and rounding out the top three was Begin The Music, with Kris Rickert aboard.