HAMBURG, N.Y. --- The closers were coming late but it was the unexpected charge from E Street in the stretch that got the $20.00 upset victory in the $16,500 Open Trot at Buffalo Raceway on Saturday afternoon (June 25).

Photo by Bill Burke
E Street uses lightning lane to take win in Open Trot.

 

The usual cast of characters in the Open Trot did their normal routine as the speedy Cr Blazin Beauty went out early and set the tempo with fractions of :28.2, :58.1 and 1:27.4. The closers Mugshots Bro and Lougazi were ready to pounce on the pace-setter in the lane and did so but they forgot about the pocket sitting E Street.

 

Zooming down the passing lane, E Street (Jim McNeight Jr.) was quickest of all and pulled away from the field near the wire and pinned a length loss on Lougazi (Ray Fisher Jr.) and Mugshots Bro (Jim Morrill Jr.). E Street completed the mile in a seasonal best 1:57.2.

 

Co-owned by Margaret Butler and Amy Butler and trained by Jim McNeight, the 4-year-old E Street (Conway Hall-Highway Cash) has now produced three wins in seven starts this season. The victory jacked his earnings to $19,820 on the campaign and $56,790 lifetime.

 

In the $12,400 Open II Trot, Castyourcrown drafted along perfectly until deep stretch and managed to sneak by the tempo-setting Photo Bomber by a neck to collect the popular $2.80 victory in 1:58.2.

 

Photo Bomber (Kevin Cummings) was able to gain the lead off the starting gate and post sensible splits of :30.1, 1:00.2 and 1:30.0. But Castyourcrown (Morrill Jr.) just bided their time and slowly but surely inched on by in the shadow of the wire. Sanchez Rocks (Shawn McDonough) grabbed third place honors.

Photo by Bill Burke
Castyourcrown sneaks by Photo Bomber for Open II Trot win.

 

Co-owned by Blake Daniels and Never Give Up Racing, the 4-year-old gelded Castyourcrown (Dontyouforgetit-Future Cast) is trained by Michael Deruntz. The win upped his seasonal earnings to $49,900 and $130,400 lifetime.

 

Kyle Cummings had a triple while Morrill Jr. and Kevin Cummings each notched driving doubles on the program.

 

Racing will continue on Sunday afternoon with a 10-race program set for 1:30 p.m. There's a $500 carryover in the Pick 5 which begins in the second race. Buffalo Raceway will also revert back to its Wednesday, Friday, Saturday schedule this week with post times each day at 1:30 p.m. 

 

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