by Brian J. Mazurek, for Buffalo Raceway
HAMBURG, N.Y. --- The barns are completely full, the race track
surface has been rebanked and some top-notch drivers are ready to roll into
town as Buffalo Raceway gets into final preparation mode for the 2015 harness
racing season.
The 92-day race meet begins on Wednesday, January 14th with a 5
p.m. post for the 13-race program.
The season schedule shows live racing on Wednesday evenings at 5
p.m. along with Friday and Saturday nights with 6:35 p.m. posts. Buffalo
Raceway will then add the popular Sunday afternoon cards beginning on June 7th.
The season concludes on Sunday, July 26th.
"We are expecting a great year," Buffalo Raceway's
Director of Operations Jon Cramer said. "The barns are completely full,
the track has been rebanked and our simulcasting is growing. We will be sending
our signal throughout the state of Illinois this year and at Hoosier Park in
Indiana. Also, we'll be on TVG and we expect our Canadian simulcast to grow as
well."
Buffalo Raceway has been known in the past few years as the place
to be for top drivers nationally to come for the winter months. This season,
Buffalo Raceway may have hit the jackpot.
Scheduled to get in the sulky at the half-mile track includes
two-time defending National Dash champion Ronnie Wrenn Jr. (847 wins),
Rosecroft Raceway's top reinsman Frank Milby (245 wins) and Saratoga regular
Billy Dobson (352 wins).
This season also marks the return of Shawn Gray, Buffalo Raceway's
2012 top driver in 2012 who posted 206 victories and over $1 million in
earnings that year.
The newcomers will be challenging local star Kevin Cummings who
won both the 2014 Buffalo Raceway and Batavia Downs driving crowns. Cummings
had a career season with 334 victories and over $1.5 million in earnings.
Between Wrenn Jr., Milby, Dobson and the red-hot Cummings, they
combined for 1778 wins in 2014. Those numbers should make for some competitive
races and for driver supremacy at Buffalo to say the least in the early part of
2015.
Other regulars returning to the track include the three young guns
in Shawn McDonough, David McNeight III and Drew Monti along with veterans Jim
McNeight and Jack Flanigen.
Opening night includes free programs, free magnetic 2015 racing
schedules, the Guaranteed $5,000 Pick-4 that begins in the fifth race along
with $3 Wednesday specials which includes draft beer, hot dogs, pretzels and
pizza.
New this year in January and February, make a reservation in the
clubhouse for a Saturday night and each person will receive a free racing
program, a $5 Hamburg Gaming free play and your table will get $5 off your
Winner's Circle Cafe purchase. Reservations can be made by calling 716-649-1280,
ext. 300. The clubhouse will have open seating on Wednesday and Friday
nights.
Members of the Player's Rewards Club who wager $500 on Buffalo
Raceway in either January or February will receive a free Buffalo Raceway polo
shirt with their rewards voucher.
Other promotions set later this season will include the annual
March Handicapping Contest with the winner receiving entry into the World
Harness Handicapping Championships at the Meadowlands in April, the always
popular Father's Day promotion, Back To The Track and Kentucky Derby Day.
On the track, expect some great racing with the renovation of the
racing strip. The turns have been rebanked. Also nearly 6,000 tons of material
was put down and drainage has been improved at the finish line area.
Tom Agosti, Buffalo Raceway's Racing Secretary, is entering his
first full season in that role and is extremely optimistic about the upcoming
season. "We are full in the barn area and I think we've got enough horses
to be comfortable running 13 races a night, three nights a week. You look
around and every track is losing horses. They are staying home now, like in
Pennsylvania and Ohio, where we used to get horses. Tracks there are offering
the same purses as we are at Buffalo."
Agosti said he's really trying to build the $6,000 to $10,000
claiming bracket at Buffalo Raceway. "That level should be the meat of our
racing," he stated. "We seemed to have lost that middle class and I
am trying to raise it back up."
On Wednesday nights, Agosti is trying to keep things consistent
with the Open Trot and Filly and Mares Open Pace expected to go as the early
daily double. "It will allow our fans to watch these horses each week,
keep track of them and watch them at the same time every Wednesday."
The Niatross Claiming Knockout Pacing Series has been revamped and
should be an exciting competition. The "A" division will begin
eliminations on February 7th with the finals on February 28th. The
"B" division will start on April 4th with the championship on April
25th. Horses eligible are those that have had a base claiming tag of $4,000
(mares $5,000).
The new wrinkle is the top four finishers from each division final
will return for a $25,000 Invitational in May.
"The Niatross Series has always been very popular. Now
that the $25,000 Invitational has been added, there should be even more
interest," Agosti said.
While the stable area is full, one new barn will arrive for the
first time winter and that belongs to Jim Clousser. He raced at Batavia Downs
in the fall and brings eight into the backstretch at Buffalo Raceway.
Previously, Clousser raced at Tioga Downs.
JD Perrin looks to defend his training title at Buffalo Raceway.
He won the 2014 title with 76 victories and conditioned 125 winners during the
year. Perrin also took the Batavia Downs title.
Now if the weather can just cooperate. Buffalo Raceway had seven
cancellations in 2014 due to inclement weather but with a little help from
Mother Nature, sunny days could lay ahead for 2015.
For more information on Buffalo Raceway including upcoming
promotions, schedule, statistics and news, go to www.buffaloraceway.com
PHOTOS....Billy Dobson (photo by Steve Roth)
