HAMBURG, N.Y. --- To put it mildly, it was just a solid effort from start to finish for Itsonlyrocknroll A ($5.70) in the featured $9,000 Open II Pace at Buffalo Raceway on Saturday night (June 3).

 

Photo by Steve Roth
Itsonlyrocknroll A has seasonal best in Open II win.

Lulling the field to sleep with a soft opening panel of just 29.0, Itsonlyrocknroll A only got better the rest of the way and posted a convincing two length decision over China Dream in a seasonal best of 1:53.3 over the fast track.

 

Larry Stalbaum and Itsonlyrocknroll A got an uncontested lead right off the gate and managed to open up a solid two length margin through the first split of 29.0 while Littlebitaclass was next in line.

 

The tempo picked up the rest of the way as Itsonlyrocknroll A hit the half in 57.0, starting to leave the remainder of the field in his dust. The final half mile went in 56.3 with Itsonlyrocknroll A using a 28.1 last panel to secure the win. China Dream (Drew Monti) picked up the second place check with Western Alumni (Todd Cummings) finishing in third.

 

Owned by Stalbaum and trained by Kimberly Asher, Itsonlyrocknroll A (Million Dollar Cam-Boldandbeautiful) is a 6-year-old gelding that has seven wins in just 14 tries in 2017. The victory upped his seasonal earnings to $38,130 and $208,350 lifetime.

 

Stalbaum continued to dominate in the sulky with five wins on the night while Monti and Jim Morrill Jr. had doubles. Asher had four training victories with JD Perrin getting two.

 

Action will resume on Wednesday night at Buffalo Raceway with a 13-race card scheduled for 5 p.m. The New York Sire Stakes will roll into town for the first time this season with the 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers ready to battle in a trio of $40,600 events. There will also be competition in the Excelsior A and B Series.