HAMBURG, N.Y. --- It's more than a month away from the Fourth of July, but Heavenly Place put on an explosive display Wednesday night in the $10,500 Fillies and Mares Open Pace at Buffalo Raceway Wednesday night (May 28).
After hitting the three-quarter pole with a mere half-length edge in 1:27.4, Heavenly Place extended that advantage quickly to five lengths at the top of the stretch and that spelled doom for the remainder of the field. Heavenly Place ended up beating Ugly Betty by 2-1/2 lengths in 1:57.1 over the fast track.
After watching You're Too Funny (Kevin Cummings) and Majic Laughter (Jim McNeight) battle to the half mile in 58.1, Heavenly Place ($14.40) was starting the first over grind. At the three-quarter point, driver David McNeight III put the 6-year-old mare into high gear and quickly paced away from the remaining six ladies.
It was all over but the shouting in the lane as Heavenly Place was throttled down. The only race at that point was who was going to get the minor awards. Ugly Betty (Jack Flanigen), the winner of the past two F&M Open paces, rallied for second while V'La Faire (Drew Monti) took the show spot.
Heavenly Place (Riverboat King-Angel Place) is co-owned by Chs Racing LLC and by Limerick Racing with Dave McNeight Jr. the trainer. It was the seventh win in 16 starts this season for Heavenly Place, now a winner of $40,697 in 2014 and $118,270 lifetime.
Racing resumes to Buffalo Raceway on Friday night with a 10-race card getting underway at 6:40 p.m. After Saturday's card, also set for 6:40 p.m., Sunday afternoon action returns this week with a 1:05 p.m. post.
by Brian J. Mazurek, for Buffalo Raceway