by Sam Pendolino, publicity director, Buffalo Raceway

Hamburg, NY — Veteran reinsman Ron Beback, Jr. had the night of his life at Buffalo Raceway on Saturday (Feb. 17), bringing home four winners, three of them real longshots.

Harnessracephotos.com – Paul White

Walkinshaw won for the first time in four starts this year in taking the $9,000 Open Pace.

Beback Jr. won the featured $9,000 Open Pace with Walkinshaw, who paid a handsome $42.20 to win. Three races later, he scored with Fleeing The Scene, who paid $29.00 in the co-featured $7,200 race. His other two winners were longshot Blue Tees ($49.20) and Sugar Doggy ($8.80).

In the featured eighth race, Walkinshaw, a 7-year-old Water Town gelding, won for the first time in four starts this year in 2:00.1 over a track rated good. Owned by Norman Pyzikiewicz and Eugene Pokornowski, Walkinshaw and Beback Jr. put on a thrilling stretch drive that saw them beat Filly’s Victory and driver Ken Holliday by a neck. Cannae Sandra (Kevin Cummings) was a half length behind in third.

“Loved the fact that Filly’s Victory set the pace,” said Beback Jr. “Got real lucky when the passing lane opened up and there was just enough room to get through.”

Walkinshaw and Beback Jr. were sitting third for the first half of the race while Filly’s Victory and Holliday were setting fractions of :29.2 to the quarter and :59.2 to the half-mile station. The top three finishers entered the top of the stretch for home, all within a length of each other, but a :30.1 last quarter by the winner was enough to take home the winning prize.

The $4,500 share of the winning purse boosted Walkinshaw’s 2007 bankroll to $6,376 and $150,424 lifetime. Mark Pokornowski is the trainer.

Fleeing The Scene scores in a thriller

A jump up in class didn’t bother Fleeing The Scene and driver Ron Beback, Jr., as they earned a hard fought victory in the co-featured $7,200 11th race in 2:00.2, which was the second fastest race of the night.

Owned by Jennifer Mann of West Seneca New York, the 7-year-old bay gelding by Jate Lobell won for the first time this season.

Leaving from post position five in the field of seven, Fleeing The Scene and Beback Jr. settled in fifth as eventual third place finishers Northern Raucous and driver Ken Holliday were setting the early fractions of :30.4, 1:01.4, and 1:31.2.

At the top of the stretch, Fleeing The Scene and Beback Jr. swung to the outside and uncorked a :29 last quarter that beat second place finishers Kilkerran Union and reinsman Jim Morrill, Jr. by a head.

The $3,600 share of the winning purse put Fleeing The Scene’s lifetime bankroll at $112,210. He paid a hefty $29.00 to his lucky backers. Angelo Nappo is the trainer.

The other hot driver on this wintry night was Jim Morrill, Jr. who had a triple. K-Jack ($3.00) in the third, Muddy Creek ($3.10) in the fifth, and Urbane ($7.60) in the tenth.

Racing will resume on Wednesday, February 21, with first post scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

Fans may enjoy fine food and drinks while playing their favorite horses. Call the clubhouse reservation line at (716) 646-6109, ext. 60149 to reserve a table. An operator will be available on Monday from 9:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.

Buffalo Raceway offers live harness racing on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, starting at 6:30 p.m. Simulcast action is also available each Wednesday thru Sunday, from America’s top racetracks.