by Brian J. Mazurek, for Buffalo Raceway
HAMBURG, N.Y. --- Upfront Countryboy got 'up front' early in Buffalo Raceway's $11,500 Class AA Open Handicap Pace on Saturday night (Feb.16) and never looked back in taking a 1-1/2 length triumph over Dark Horse in 1:56.0 over the good track.
Title Town (Shawn McDonough) was quickest off the gate in the main event but didn't have much time to savor the front end as Upfront Countryboy (Shawn Gray) took over the lead just before the opening panel.
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| Photo by Steve Roth | ||
| Upfront Countryboy stays in front during Class AA race. |
Dark Horse was first over and looked like the main threat to Upfront Countryboy coming down the stretch but his rally didn't materialize as hoped and had to settle for second with Title Town holding on for the show position.
Owned by William Emmons and trained by James Clouser Jr., it was the first win in two starts for Upfront Countryboy (Dragon Again-Cambloid). The 10-year-old gelding has earned $6,670 this year and $446,090 in his career.
There were a pair of $9,500 Class A paces on the under card.
Mr Euroman N ($4.80) went gate-to-wire and turned back the late attempts by R M Hawk (David McNeight III) and Manceiver (Gray) to take the victory in 1:57.0 in the first sub-featured event.
Leaving from the inside post, Mr Euroman N set the fractions with a :29.2, :58.3 and 1:28.0. A :29.0 last panel was enough as R M Hawk could get no closer than a half length.
Driven by Billy Davis Jr. and trained by Maria Rice, Mr Euroman N (Art Major-Little Big Sister) is a 7-year-old gelding that is co-owned by the Vogel & Wags Nags Stable, Jack Rice and Pine Hill Racing LTD. It was the second victory in five tries this season for Mr. Euroman N, now a winner of $9,950 in 2019 and $113,329 lifetime.
In the second leg, A F F Bigdaddy (Drew Monti) was able to grind out a length victory over Im So Handsome in 1:56.3.
Going first over down the backstretch, A F F Bigdaddy slowly but surely started to cut into the lead of Im So Handsome and took over command midway down the lane. Im So Handsome had to settle for the place position with Heaven Rocks finishing in third.
A F F Bigdaddy (Sir Luck-Artacam Hanover) is a 6-year-old gelding owned by Jennifer and Marcus Rogowski. Conditioned by Steven Kiblin, it was the first trip to the winner's circle for A F F Bigdaddy, now a earner of $5,590 this year and $85,115 in his career.
Ray Fisher Jr. topped the drivers with four victories on the night. Monti tripled while Davis Jr. and Gray each doubled. Mike Ohol, Maria Rice and Sabrina Clevenger all scored a pair of training wins.
Racing will continue on Wednesday night at 5 p.m. with a 12-race card scheduled.