by Brian J. Mazurek, for Buffalo Raceway
HAMBURG, N.Y. --- It wasn't a matter if Youwillwishyouhad
was going to win at Buffalo Raceway, it was just a matter of when.
Well, that elusive victory came about on Saturday night
(March 5) as Youwillwishyouhad got the perfect trip and posted a 1-3/4 length
decision over If It Rains in the $10,000 Open Pace. The winning time was 1:56.4
over the good track.
And while Youwillwishyouhad finally found the winner's
circle, driver Jim Morrill Jr. has been making himself right at home there. He
scored seven victories on the night and was in the money in all 11 races with
two second place finishes and two thirds. Morrill Jr. now has an amazing 17
wins in 33 starts over a seven-day span at Buffalo Raceway.
Morrill Jr. has had seven wins on a program at Buffalo
Raceway twice before. He did it on March 1, 2013 and February 15, 2006. Kevin
Cummings holds the all-time mark at the track with eight wins on a card on June
11, 2005.
In the feature, after four second place finishes and a third
in his last five tries in the Open Pace at the Hamburg half-mile oval,
Youwillwishyouhad ($4.10) was more than primed for a winning effort and
didn't disappoint as the even money choice.
LA Camcharger did the dirty work by cutting the fractions of
28.1, 57.1, and 1:27.0 while Youwillwishyouhad sat back and enjoyed the pocket
sitting trip. In the stretch drive, driver David McNeight III dropped Youwillwishyouhad
into the passing lane and cruised past the leg-weary LA Camcharger (Ron Beback
Jr.) who finished in third.
If It Rains (Morrill Jr.) showed some late kick to take
second place but was never a serious threat to the wire.
With his first victory of the 2016 campaign,
Youwillwishyouhad (Artiscape-Dawn's Ideal) has now been in the money in seven
of eight starts this year, earning $18,200. It jacked the 5-year-old gelding's
lifetime bankroll to $160,260. He is co-owned by Mark Jakubik and Tessa Roland
and trained by JD Perrin, who had conditioned two winners.
Racing will continue at Buffalo Raceway on Wednesday night
with an 11-race card set for 5 p.m.
For more information including the latest news, race
replays, upcoming promotions and results, go to www.buffaloraceway.com
