by Brian J. Mazurek, for Buffalo Raceway
HAMBURG, N.Y. --- The front running Flashy Trick had just
enough gas left in the tank and managed to hang on by a nose over long shot
Tymal Torch to capture the $24,000 Niatross Knockout Claiming Series final at Buffalo
Raceway on Saturday night (Feb. 27).
It was a perfect ending to the popular month-long series as
the top four finishers were within a half length of each other in the blanket
finish.
Flashy Trick, a winner in gate-to-wire fashion in last
week's semi-finals, set sail from the rail for driver David McNeight III.
Putting up leisurely fractions of 30.1, 1:01.1 and 1:31.2 over the sloppy
track, Flashy Trick knew things weren't going to come easy in the last quarter
mile.
The race boiled down to the sprint to the finish line.
Flashy Trick ($4.10) was up for the challenge and was able to turn back the
serious threats from Tymal Torch and third place finisher Mach It Paid (Jim
McNeight). M G Jade (Jim Morrill Jr.) was fourth, just a mere head off the winner.
Owned by Courtney McNeight and trained by David McNeight
Jr., it was the third win of the season for Flashy Trick (Memphis Flash-San
Trick) with all victories coming in the Niatross Claiming Series. The win upped
the 7-year-old gelding's seasonal bankroll to $18,800 and $80,334 lifetime.
In the $10,000 consolation race of the Niatross Knockout
Claiming Series, Aberarder Smitty ($2.10) and Morrill Jr. absolutely smoked the
field in 1:58.4, beating Sir Altb Z Tam (Todd Cummings) by 13-1/2 lengths. Le
Reina Road (David McNeight III) took the show spot.
Aberarder Smitty, who won two legs of the Series but failed
to reach the finals after a fifth place finish last week, took out his
frustrations on the field of seven. Aberarder Smitty has now won five times in
six tries this year. The win bumped his seasonal earnings to $15,234 for
owner-trainer Jeff Amann.
China Dream has been coming up just short the past two weeks
in the $10,000 Open Pace, finishing third each time by less an a length after
gobbling up big ground in the stretch. This time though, China Dream was able
to stalk the pace and used that patented closing kick to register a length win
over the favored Youwillwishyouhad in 1:58.2.
Finishing no worse than third in his previous four
appearances in the Open, driver Jack Flanigen maneuvered China Dream first over
to the half, chasing the pace-setting Youwillwishyouhad. In the stretch run,
the devastating late kick by China Dream was way too much as Youwillwishyouhad
and driver Bruce Aldrich Jr. could do nothing but watch. Beach Hero (Truman
Gale) finished in third.
Owned by Jack Rice and trainer Maria Rice, it was the second
victory in five appearances for the 5-year-old gelded China Dream (If I Can
Dream-China Art), now a winner of $14,900 in 2016 and $104,493 lifetime.
Morrill Jr. made his 2016 seasonal debut in the sulky and he
started out the year with a bang by posting a five-bagger. Drew Monti had a
driving double.
Racing will resume on Wednesday at Buffalo Raceway with a
12-race card slated for 5 p.m.
For more information including upcoming promotions, results,
race replays and the latest news, go to www.buffaloraceway.com
