HAMBURG, N.Y. --- Youwillwishyouhad loves racing on the front end. Drawing the rail in the $10,500 Open Pace at Buffalo Raceway would seem like a recipe for success. It was.

 

After playing given-and-go with Bakken (Ray Fisher Jr.) to the opening quarter pole, driver John Cummings Jr. put Youwillwishyouhad back on the lead and never looked back in posting a convincing 1 1/4-length win over No Real Surprise (Frank Milby) in a sizzling 1:55.4 over the fast track Saturday night (January 17). 

 

Youwillwishyouhad (Artiscape-Dawn's Ideal) has been on an incredible stretch dating back to last year. The 4-year-old gelding has six wins and two places in his last eight starts. Also, since the start of 2014, he's been in the money 25-of-29 times including 12 wins. 

 

After posting fractions of 29.3, 59.3 and 1:28, Youwillwishyouhad ($6.60) enjoyed a two-length edge at the top of the stretch and used a 27.4 final panel to keep No Real Surprise and third place finisher Cheyenne Cam (Billy Dobson) at a safe distance.

 

Youwillwishyouhad increased his lifetime bankroll to $71,417 with the victory. He is owned by Leonard Segall and is trained by James Clouser Jr. 

 

Racing will resume on Wednesday night at 5 p.m. with a 12-race card. The co-features will be the $10,500 Fillies and Mares Open Pace and the $10,500 Open Trot. They will go off as the first and third races respectively.