HAMBURG, N.Y. --- Buffalo Raceway's 13-race program
Wednesday evening could a box of chocolates...you never know what you are going
to get until you taste them.
The same could be said about the 2-year-old colt pacers
entered in the New York Sires Stakes and Excelsior A Series. A total of 40
inexperienced colt pacers are set to participate with 32 getting their first
taste of their young careers. For some, this will be the start of their sweet
careers.
While there are 91 'lines' in the program on the entrants,
83 of them are qualifiers. There are just eight pari-mutual starts amongst the
group and combined lifetime earnings of $9,051.
There will be three $37,266 divisions of the Sire Stakes and
two legs of the Excelsior A series worth $12,600 apiece. There is also a
non-betting $6,600 division of the Excelsior Series B that will go off before
the start of the 5 p.m. card.
They'll also be gunning for the track record at Buffalo
Raceway for the 2-year-old colts of 1:55.4 set last season by He's Watching.
The 40 colts and geldings involved in the regular card have
been sired by either Art Major (12), American Ideal (7), Rock N Roll Heaven
(6), Bettor's Delight (6) If I Can Dream (4), Kenneth J (3) and Artiscape
(2).
In the first division, set for the third race, Cartoon Daddy
paced the mile in a qualifier at Gaitway Farms in New Jersey in 1:55 on June
16th and has been installed as the 5-2 choice with Jim Morrill Jr. in the bike.
They will begin from the seven post. Morrill Jr. is fresh off a five-win
afternoon Sunday at Buffalo and is currently the leading driver on the Sire
Stakes circuit.
K Ryan Bluechip went 1:54.2 in a qualifier at Pocono Downs
on June 20th. He'll start from the five post with Joe Pavia Jr. in the sulky as
the 3-1 second pick.
Ardie B Speed, who will start from the two post for Jeff
Gregory, turned in an eye-popping 19-1/2 qualifiying win on June 20th at Vernon
Downs in 1:56.3 and could be a force to be aware of.
The second division, the Ron Burke-trained K-Rock (Morrill
Jr) could be very good starting from the two post after going a 1:55.1
qualifier on June16th at Gaitway Farms. He's the 5-2 morning line selection.
His main threat could come from Old Man Cleary (Brent
Holland) who had a 1:56 time over the Gaitway Farm track on June 23rd.
The third and final leg goes off in the seventh race with
Play The Field (Morrill Jr.) the early 3-1 favorite. They'll be starting from
the two post. Play The Field went a 1:57 mile at Gaitway Farm on June16th and
should get a perfect trip.
Startznheaven gets local drover Ray Fisher Jr. and they''
score from the rail. Starznheaven had a 1:57 mile at Gaitway on June 23rd.
The Excelsior A series races will be contest in the second
and sixth.
For more information including upcoming promotions, race
replays, news and results, go to www.buffaloraceway.com
by Brian J. Mazurek
