The Saturday (June 8) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Buffalo Raceway, Vernon Downs, Tioga Downs, Saratoga Casino Hotel and Running Aces.

Hamburg, NY —After suffering a gut-wrenching nose setback last week, Western Passage gave himself some breathing room this time around and took the $12,000 Class AA-Open Pace at Buffalo Raceway on Saturday night (June 8). He topped the favored Upfront Countryboy by 1-1/4 lengths in a seasonal best 1:53.4.

Western Passage doesn’t come up short this time at Buffalo Raceway. Steve Roth photo.

Upfront Countryboy set the fractions over the fast track of :27.0, :55.3 and 1:24.3 as Western Passage ($8.00) was fifth and last at the half.

Beginning a first over journey from there, driver Kevin Cummings got Western Passage on even terms with Upfront Countryboy (Jim Morrill Jr.) with a panel to pace. Western Passage proved to be the strongest in the stretch as he was able to put some daylight between himself and Upfront Countryboy to take the win. China Dream (Billy Davis Jr.) took the show position.

Owned by the Finocchario’s Dream Stable and trained by Mike Ohol, it was the sixth victory in 16 appearances for the 4-year-old gelded Western Passage (Sportswriter-Forever Western). The score moved his seasonal earnings to $32,936 and $238,400 lifetime.

In the $11,500 Class AA Open pace, Charmbo Orbit (David McNeight III) made a big brush to the lead at the three-quarter pole and had just enough left in the tank to register a nose victory over the hard-charging Rose Run Ranger (Ray Fisher Jr.) in 1:55.1.

Manceiver (Cummings) set the tempo with splits of :28.3, :57.0 and 1:26.2 but had no answers as Charmbo Orbit ($21.60) stormed by with a quarter mile to pace.

Things looked well in hand for Charmbo Orbit in the lane but Rose Run Ranger came from nowhere and just missed grabbing the win at the wire. What’s Goin On (Drew Monti) was third.

Owned by Keith Pinkowski and trained by Mihajlo Zdjelar Jr., it was the third triumph in 15 tries for the 8-year-old gelded  Charmbo Orbit (Mach Three-Pretty Bo Bo). The victory moved his 2019 bankroll to $22,960 and $167,371 in his career.

There were a pair of $10,000 Class A pacing events with both producing minor surprises. Falcon’s Luke (Morrill Jr.) took the first division with a coast to coast victory in 1:55.1. He beat Littlebitofabrat (Ray Fisher Jr.) by a half length and returned $11.40 for the win.

The other bracket saw Southwind Torque (Davis Jr.) grind out a half length upset victory over Focus Power (Monti)  in 1:54.4 and returned $13.60 to his backers.

Davis Jr., Buffalo Raceway’s leading driver, was red hot on the evening as he found the winner’s circle five times on the card. Cummings had a triple while McNeight III and Morrill Jr. each collected two victories. Trainers Zdjelar Jr., David Russo, Jim Clouser Jr. and Maria Rice all had doubles.

Racing will continue on Wednesday evening at 5 p.m. with a 13-race program slated. The New York Sire Stakes will highlight the card with the 3-year-old colt and gelding trotters taking center stage along with action in the Excelsior A and B Series. There’s also a $1744 carryover in the Pick-5 which begins in the second race.

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

— by Brian Mazurek

Vernon Downs

Bay Rum (Howard Parker) captured the featured pace ($6,000) at Vernon Downs on Saturday (June 8). Bay Rum ($3.30) took over the lead from Brookdale Bruiser before hitting the first quarter in :28.2. Bay Rum continued on the lead into a half of :57.2 and three-quarters in 1:23.4. Bay Rum, who is owned by Glasser Racing LLC and trained by Homer Hochstetler, got stronger in the stretch. Second place finisher Brookdale Bruiser came out the pocket and chased him, but Bay Rum was too strong and won in 1:52.4. Electrofire (Jennifer Lappe) came on late to finish third.Bay Rum is a 6-year-old Gelding by Real Desrie. He is a perfect six-for-six this season at Vernon Downs. It was his seventh win overall in 2019. He now has 18 career victories. John MacDonald and Jimmy Whittemore each drove three winners on the night. MacDonald now leads all driver with 36 wins on the season. He came in first with Well Lets See ($9.10), Haydens Little Man ($7.30), and R Gauwitz Hanover ($2.90). Whittemore got his wins with Winding Hill ($8.70), Marvalous One ($26.60), and Ladyyouaregorgeous ($19.80).Vernon Downs returns to live racing on Friday (June 14) with a post time of 6:10 p.m. For more information go to www.vernondowns.com.

— by John Horne

 Tioga Downs

Marvalous Jet (Mike Merton) won the filly and mare featured Open Pace ($10,000) at Tioga Downs on Saturday (June 8). J’s Caroline (Jim Taggart) put up all the early numbers (:28.1, :56.2, 1:23.4). Marvalous Jet ( $7.20), who is owned Catheline Pelletier and trainer Mario Dessureault, went first-over from third just before hitting three-quarters. She joined K J’s Caroline and the two slugged it out in the stretch. Marvalous Jet slipped by just before the wire to win in a seasonal best of 1:52.2. K J’s Caroline had to settle for second. Northern Dali (Andy Santeramo) was third. Marvalous Jet is a 6 year-old mare by Delmarvalous. It was her sixth win this season and her 30th career victory. Merton drove four winners on the night. His other wins came with Gemalous ($9.50), Spectre ($2.60), and Joyful Game ($5.40).
Wally Hennessey had a driving triple on the night. His wins came with Art Angel Baby ($3.50), Celebrity Lover ($4.30), and Move Over Sis ($3.60). Tioga Downs returns to live racing on Sunday (June 9) featuring the third leg of the Graduate Series for 4-year-old pacers and trotters. All will race for a purse of $50,000. The 13-race card starts at 1 p.m. For more information go to www.tiogadowns.com.

— by John Horne

Saratoga Casino Hotel

Some Attitude (Somebeachsomewhere) last won the local Open Pace at Saratoga Casino Hotel in October of 2017. That is, before Saturday night (June 8). The Jackie Greene-trained pacer drew the rail in the $15,000 Open Pace and driver Frank Coppola Jr. was aggressive in the early going with the 5-year-old who was dismissed at odds of 12-1. Some Attitude, who won an installment of the Open Pace at Plainridge last month, proved up to the task on Saturday after leading every step of the way. Things got dicey for Some Attitude heading to three-quarters but he dug in, turning back the late bid from pocket-sitting In A Single Bound (Billy Dobson) in the stretch to prevail in 1:52.3. In A Single Bound came up second-best while longshot Kiwi Tintin N (Jimmy Devaux) earned the show spot. Some Attitude paid $27.40 in the upset win and led an exacta and triple that returned $133 and $418, respectively. Overall, it was the third win in 12 seasonal tries for the Greene trainee who is owned by the Kellogg Racing Stables of Queensbury, N.Y. Live racing continues on Sunday afternoon at Saratoga with a matinee starting at noon. New York Sire Stakes will take center stage as 3-year-old trotting fillies are featured.

— by Mike Sardella

Running Aces

The Saturday evening (June 8) program of harness racing at Running Aces was jam packed with exciting contests. One of the most highly anticipated was the $11,500 Minnesota-Sired 3-Year-Old Colt Pace, and it did not disappoint. Among the talented field of sophomore male pacers was 2018 Minnesota Horse of the Year Burning Blaze (Steve Wiseman), and also 2019 early standouts SB Bodacious (Rick Magee) and Stay Humble N Kind (Gerald Longo). SB Bodacious ($4.20) served notice right off the gate, blasting from post position five to an immediate lead. He then yielded to fellow leaver Trump Train (Don Harmon).The fractions were:27.1 and :55.4 for the opening half. Then Rick Magee wasted no time in getting SB Bodacious to the front of affairs, sweeping back to the top just past the five-eighths marker. Stay Humble N Kind got rolling from the back of the pack as they hit three-quarters in 1:24.3 and began to give chase to the leader. Burning Blaze had gotten the Columbus shuffle and finally was able to shake free near the top of the lane. The chase was futile, because SB Bodacious was in full flight for the wire, pacing home in :27.4 and stopping the timer in a dazzling 1:52.2 to just miss a track record by a few ticks. Stay Humble N Kind was clearly second best last night while Burning Blaze salvaged third after a troubled trip. SB Bodacious is a gelded son of Voracious Hanover out of the Western Hanover mare Salsa Hanover, he is now three for four in 2019 with his only defeat coming last out when he was a close second. He has lowered his lifetime mark with each victory, and dropped over three seconds with Saturday’s impressive win. Mikaela DelGiudice is the winning owner, and Rick Magee trains. The $11,500 Filly Pace for Minnesota-Sired 3-year-olds was everything it was advertised to be – another dominating win for super-filly Windmeupnwatchmego – who is now a perfect three-for-three in 2019. Driver Dean Magee sent her hard and fast from her assigned outside six post and she battled early with Trinitysfancyfilly (Brian Detgen) before making the top, once she cleared it was all over. She took the girls on a merry stroll around the track and posted a 5-3/4 length romp in 1:55.1 with plenty left in the tank. As of this early point in the season, she stands out well above her rivals – they look to be in for a long summer. The winner paid just $2.10 at the windows. She is owned by Richard Davelaar and trained by Gordon Graham. The $15,000 Open Handicap Pace for horses and geldings was the feature on the Saturday card. Stuckey Dote (Rick Magee) was the race favorite at 3-5 after a great start to his 2019 Running Aces campaign. Longshots War Daddy (Williams Hernandez) and Liberty Flyer (Mark Mintun) blasted out of the gate along with Stuckey Dote and the scramble was on for the front, resulting in a :26.3 bullet opener. Stuckey Dote cleared well before the half and posted strong middle fractions (:55.1, and 1:23.4) but the torrid pace took it’s toll and the back markers took advantage of the fast fractions and came rolling in the lane. Fox Valley Nemitz (Tim Maier) was fastest of all to the wire in 1:52 for his third win in five starts, he was a length ahead of Annihilator (Dean Magee) and Stuckey Dote was home third by 1-1/4 after a good effort. Fox Valley Nemitz is owned by Susan Holm-Johansen and trained by Ulf Holm-Johansen. The 5-year-old son of Richess Hanover paid $9.40 at the windows.

— by Darin Gagne