HAMBURG, N.Y. --- "I think we had a good meet with some
excellent racing," Buffalo Raceway's Chief Operating Officer Jim Mango
said as he reflected back on the now completed 2014 season.
"I seen a lot of positives that have occurred here and
I am encouraged about the 2015 season," Mango added.
The first eight weeks of the season, which started on
January 8, were hampered by an unusually harsh winter locally and throughout
the Northeast which forced postponements of seven cards. "Once the winter
weather cleared and spring came, we did alright," Mango said.
Jon Cramer, Buffalo Raceway's Director of Operations said,
"I think we've held our own compared to others. We've had another nice
increase in our simulcast handle again. Our nightly pools were up 10 percent
this year."
On the track, Kevin Cummings took his first driving title at
Buffalo Raceway since 2008 with 171 victories, easily beating out Ron Beback
Jr. who had 117.
Cummings finished with a UDR of .341 and earnings of
$838,902. Cummings also won the crown in 2004, 2005 and 2008.
Beback Jr. finished with a UDR of .267 and $602,109 in purse
earnings while Jack Flanigen rounded out the top three with 97 wins, a .277 UDR
and $522,675 in winnings.
The all-time track record of 214 wins in a season set by Jim
Morrill Jr. in 2006 will remain for another year.
A total of 59 different drivers made a trip to the winner's
circle.
JD Perrin continues to be a model of consistency with his
second straight training title. Perrin, who won in 2013 with 78 victories, put
up 76 wins this year with a .372 UTR and $346,637 in purse earnings.
Ryan Swift took second place with 44 wins, having a UTR of
.282 and bankrolled $208,673. John Mungillo completed the top three with 43
wins and $238,074 in purse earnings.
The track record for wins in a season by a trainer is still
Sherri Holliday who conditioned 122 in 2011.
A total of 100 different trainers had at least two victories
during the campaign.
The horses were definitely in high gear over the half-mile
track at the Fairgrounds in Hamburg. There were a total of seven track records
either broken or tied during the season.
Leading the record breakers were 3-year-old trotting colt
Gural Hanover. He set his division mark and also took down the Buffalo Raceway
all-aged trotting record when he covered the mile in 1:56.1 in the New York
Sires Stakes on June 29th.
The 2-year-old colt trotting mark was re-established by
Royal Deceptor who went 1:59.3 while 3-year-old filly trotter Glowngold got her
name with the record book with a 1:59.0 time.
The all-aged filly and mare pacing record were set twice as
Majic Laughter and Cased Solved each registered a 1:54.2 clocking. Sweetnsinful
also produced a new standard in her division as the 3-year-old filly pacer won
in a sizzling 1:54.1.
Ophiuchus N led the way in victories on the season with 12
during the meet and had the second most earnings with $47,026. Twilight Jack
and Western each were victorious nine times on the pacing side.
The top trotters were Lutetium and Kely Jo Wiz as each put
up eight wins.
But it was Lutetium who was nothing less than brilliant in
winning the Open Trots. He was able to overcome the assigned outside posts time
after time, going gate-to-wire to record the victories.
The top money earner among the local horses was Ugly Betty
who took in $49,183 thanks to seven wins in 22 starts, Most of her income came
in the Fillies and Mares Open Pace.
Buffalo Raceway's post time favorites scored a 43.62 rate.
Looking ahead to 2015, Mango said, "We'll be racing 92
days next season and we'll go three times week from January through May. We'll
add the fourth racing day in June and July. The purse structure isn't set yet
but I can tell you for sure it won't go down from the 2014 levels."
The main off-season upgrade will be the track itself.
"Starting on October 20th, we will be having a major track
renovation," Mango disclosed. "In cooperation with the Western New
York Harness Horsemen's Association, we will be re-banking the turns, fix
drainage issues, especially by the finish line, and putting down 5,000 tons of
material. We are looking forward to that work being done. It's a major expense.
Hopefully once this is done, it will take some of the pressure off that first
turn."
Mango went on to say, "Tom Agosti will be back again in
2015 as Race Secretary. He did a great job in the month he was on the job and I
look forward for him to be here the entire year and really put his mark on the
race office."
The Niatross and Spring Break Claiming Series look to be
back on the agenda for 2015. Mango stated, "The horsemen love it."
Asked if the Claiming Series might expand to trotters, Mango quickly added,
"That's up to Tommy and the racing office."
Cramer said of 2015 outlook, "We'll be sitting down and
looking at promotions, what worked and didn't work. We will have the $5,000
Guaranteed Pick-4 coming back along with 'Back To The Track' and Father's Day
events for sure."
Mango said in closing, "We are looking forward to 2015.
We will be continuing to make some general improvements, nothing major besides
the track. But we do continue to get a tremendous response from a lot of
people, especially from the Sire Stakes people who've come in, how pleased they
are with the backstretch and barn areas. They rave about it."
And if Mother Nature can cooperate just a little more in the
early part of the next season, sunny days could be ahead for Buffalo Raceway as
they embark on another year in 2015.
by Brian J. Mazurek, for Buffalo Raceway
