Hamburg, NY — Summer Slash ($2.50) made it two consecutive victories with another wire-to-wire score from the pylons in Buffalo Raceway’s $12,100 featured pace for the ladies on Wednesday afternoon (May 21), beating Rocknroll Shelli by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:56.3 over a good track.
Fresh off a head win last week from the inside, Summer Slash (driven by Ray Fisher Jr.) made quick work of the remaining six damsels as she grabbed the front end approaching the opening marker. After posting splits of :29.3, :59.3 and 1:28.4, Summer Slash dashed the hopes of the closers with a :27.4 last quarter.
The pocket-sitting Rocknroll Shelli (David McNeight III) took the place honors with GD Cool Otoole getting the third-place check.
It was the second victory in six outings for the 6-year-old Summer Slash (Downbytheseaside-Before The Poison), whom Ryan Swift trains for Ilovemyharnesshorsesummer. The win jumped her seasonal bankroll to $14,820 and to $172,785 in her career.
There were a pair of $10,500 paces for fillies and mares on the program.
Clover ($5.10) took the first division as a determined effort paved the way to the 1-1/4 length victory over Shake Me Loose (Drew Monti) in 1:56.2. Hurry Up (Denny Bucceri) held on for third place.
After a battle on the front end with Go Tell Murph and Morgans All In, Clover (Kyle Cummings) took control with splits of :28.1 and :58.2. But things didn’t come easy for Clover as Hurry Up was first up to challenge but had that attempt squashed. She then had to deal with Shake Me Loose and that effort was nullified by Clover, who ended up with the win in 1:56.2.
It was the second win in eight starts for the 7-year-old Clover (Sportswriter-Connie Mach), whom trainer Dale Lawton co-owns with Chris Lawton. The victory pushed her seasonal total to $13,747 and to $219,934 lifetime.
In the second bracket, Always Choose Chip (Cummings) went three-wide approaching the final marker and swooped past the leaders in scoring a three-quarter-length decision over Beautiful Lights (Dan Yetman) in a seasonal best 1:57.4.
After watching Arco N and Beautiful Lights duke it out for three-quarters of a mile, Always Choose Chip ($7.50) figured the front end speed was going to fail. While it didn’t totally collapse, it did enough where she drifted past to collar Beautiful Lights while Always Be City (Bucceri) was third.
Co-owned by Kyle Cummings and Matthew Miller, Always Choose Chip (Always A Virgin-Hank’s Chip) is conditioned by Tammy Cummings. It was the second score of the year for Always Choose Chip, now a winner of $17,015 in 2025 and $179,560 in her career.
Kyle Cummings finished the day with four driving wins with James McNeight Jr. and Joseph Chindano Jr. each getting a double. Tammy Cummings had three training victories.
Racing at Buffalo will continue on Friday (May 23) at 2:30 p.m. with a 12-race program set. There is a $1,836 carryover in the Pick-5, which begins in the second race.
For more information, including the latest news, upcoming promotions, entries, results and race replays, go to www.buffaloraceway.com.