HAMBURG, N.Y. --- BZ Glide may have disappointed his backers in his seasonal debut last week but they were all smiles with his performance this time around after rumbling to a solid 1-1/2 length victory over Fox Valley Veto in Buffalo Raceway's co-featured $11,500 Open Trot on Saturday night (May 26).

Photo by Steve Roth
BZ Glide doesn't disappoint in winning Open Trot.

 

In the $11,500 Open Pace, Upfront Countryboy ($6.80) used a :27.4 third quarter split that demoralized the rest of the field and then strolled off to a dialed down 4-1/2 length win over Continual Hanover in a seasonal best 1:52.3 over the fast track.

 

With absolutely no resistance in getting the lead off the starting gate, BZ Glide ($4.50) and driver Mike Caprio showed the way with fractions of :28.4, :58.4 and 1:28.3. With a final panel to trot, BZ Glide found a timid rally from runner up Fox Valley Veto (Billy Davis Jr.) but the result was never in doubt. Empire Earl N (Drew Monti) took the show spot.

 

Owned by the Caprio Stable LLC and trained by Alana Caprio, it was the first victory in just two starts this season for the 9-year-old gelded BZ Glide (Yankee Glide-Zoomer Bloomer). The win pushed his seasonal earnings to $7,080 and $263,130 lifetime.

 

Upfront Countryboy toyed with the field in the co-featured pacing event in scoring a blowout win.

 

On the point through the opening frames of :28.2 and :57.1, Upfront Countryboy enjoyed the front end journey. Down the back stretch the final time, driver Shawn Gray let the front runner out a notch and was up by four lengths with a final panel to go.

Photo by Steve Roth
Upfront Countryboy cruises to easy Open Pace win.

 

There was little doubt about the outcome in the stretch as Upfront Countryboy easily crossed the finish line ahead with the only battle remaining being for the minor awards. Those went to Continual Hanover (Davis Jr.) and Im So Handsome (Ray Fisher Jr.) who took second and third respectively.

 

Conditioned by James Clouser Jr., and owned by William Emmons, Upfront Countryboy (Dragon Again-Cambloid) has seven wins in 13 tries in 2018. The victory upped the 9-year-old gelding's bankroll to $30,065 and $392,075 lifetime.

 

Gray completed the night by putting six victories in the win column while Fisher Jr. had a triple and Monti a double. Clouser Jr. had four training wins while JD Perrin and Ryan Swift added a pair.

 

Racing will continue on Wednesday night at 5 p.m. when a nine-race program will be presented.