by Brian J. Mazurek, for Buffalo Raceway
HAMBURG,N.Y. --- It may have been April 1st but
Justgottogetthere wasn't fooling around at all in the featured $8,500
conditioned trot at Buffalo Raceway Wednesday night.
The heavily favored 6-year-old gelded Justgottogetthere
($2.40) toyed with the field of six and went coast-to-coast in posting a
3/4-length victory over Leave Your Mark in 1:59.1 on the fast racing strip. It
was his fifth win in eight starts in 2015 to go along with three second places
finishes.
Driver Jim McNeight had to go three-wide to gain the lead
going to the quarter pole with Justgottogetthere but once the pair settled in,
there weren't any anxious moments.
Posting fractions of 28.4, 59.3, and 1:30.1, a final panel
of :29 by Justgottogethere kept the remainder of the field at bay. Leave Your
Mark (Shawn Gray) tried to make a move in the passing lane but to no avail
while Diamonds For Life (Kevin Cummings) and September Hall (Shawn McDonough)
battled to a dead heat for third.
Justgottogetthere (Valley Victor-Mara's Theme) is co-owned
by Antonietta Landi and North Creek Racing LLC. Jerry Nugent Jr. handled the
training duties and watched Justgottogetthere increase his seasonal earnings to
$26,687 and $165,369 lifetime.
In the first of the two $7,900 co-featured paces for the
fillies and mares, Fiftyonefifty ($9.30) was the 'pocket rocket' and flew past
It's De Lovely (David McNeight II) and The Prophet Mary (Drew Monti) to score
the victory in 1:56.0.
The Prophet Mary threw up fractions of 29.4, 58.3 and 1:27.4
but became leg-weary in the stretch. It allowed the pocket-sitting
Fiftyonefifty to drop into the passing lane and race to the 1-3/4 length
win.
It was the second win in 11 outings this season for
Fiftyonefifty (Daggs-Tj's Little Cammie). The 6-year-old mare is owned by
Sidney Easton and is trained by Anthony Cummings. She increased her 2015
bankroll to $16,078 and $145,901 lifetime.
In the second $7,900 pace for the ladies, Eyemajet (Shawn
Gray) was a 'jet' in the lightning lane and took off for a 1-3/4 length
decision over Ivy's Good News (Ron Beback Jr.) and the pace-setting Bad Girl
Vegas (Monti).
Bad Girl Vegas put up some sizzling splits of 27.4, 57.0 and
1:27.0. Basic Survival was parked to the three-quarter pole and surrendered
while Eyemajet drafted in second behind Bad Girl Vegas. It the stretch, Gray
found the passing lane perfect as Eyemajet had little problem strolling off to
the convincing victory.
Owned by William Emmons and trained by Gray, Eyemajet has
two victories in 10 starts this year, earning $12,576 and jacking up her career
total to $203,100.
Kevin Cummings, Buffalo Raceway's leading driver, finished
the card with five winners. Buffalo Raceway's leading trainer, JD Perrin, is
now a perfect 3-for-3 this year in the sulky after posting a driving double.
Racing will continue on Friday night at Buffalo Raceway with
a 12-race card set to go to the post at 6:35 p.m.
For more information including the latest news, race
replays, upcoming promotions and results, go to www.buffaloraceway.com
