HAMBURG, N.Y. --- It's been close but no cigar for V'La Faire in 2014.
But Wednesday night (July 16), she finally broke her camera shyness with a gutsy nose victory over Case Solved in the featured $10,500 Fillies and Mares Open Pace at Buffalo Raceway.
V'La Faire has been very competitive in her nine previous starts this year, finishing in the money six times, but couldn't break her way into the win column.
It looked like another heart-breaking night for V'La Faire as Case Solved set the pace with times of 28.4, 57.4 and 1:27.3. In the stretch, Case Solved (Ray Fisher Jr.) tried to hang on but a determined V'La Faire ($14.40) and driver Drew Monti showed plenty of heart and were able to get a nose in front at the wire in 1:56.1 over the fast track. The favored Ugly Betty (Jack Flanigen) finished in third.
Owned by the Oakhurst Farm and trained by Richard Tomaszewski, V'La Faire has now earned $18,020 this season and $204,436 lifetime. It was the 23rd career win in 102 lifetime starts for the 7-year-old mare.
The final week of racing continues on Friday night at Buffalo Raceway with an 11-race card set for 6:40 p.m. There's just three live programs remaining with the season wrapping up on Sunday afternoon.
by Brian J. Mazurek, for Buffalo Raceway