by Brian J. Mazurek, for Buffalo Raceway
HAMBURG, N.Y. --- It may have been damp and dreary night at
Buffalo Raceway on Wednesday (Jan. 18) but Wanna Rock N Roll, driver
Larry Stalbaum and trainer Kim Asher sure did brightened the night
with some superb efforts.
After going wire-to-wire last week, Wanna Rock N Roll
($2.80) and driver Drew Monti used the same tactic to discard her five rivals
in 1:59.0 over the sloppy track to take the $10,000 open pace for the mares.
The victory was the fifth consecutive for Wanna Rock N Roll.
The 6-year-old mare (Rocknroll Hanover-Cams Leading Lady) closed the 2016
campaign with three in a row at Batavia Downs and now is a perfect
2-for-2 to start the year at Buffalo Raceway.
Stalbaum, in the meantime, is getting to know track
photographer Steve Roth very well as he found the winner's circle seven times
on Wednesday night while Asher enjoyed five victories.
In what looked like an instant replay of last week's
victory, Wanna Rock N Roll fired off the starting gate and was in command by
the time the field reached the backstretch the first time. Setting the splits
of 29.3, 59.0 and 1:29.2, Wanna Rock N Roll received minor encouragement from
Monti in the stretch and held off runner up Aritzia Hanover (Ben McNeil)
by a non-threatening half length. Who Says That (Shawn Gray) took the show
spot.
Owned by Rose Campbell and trained by Steven Kiblin,
Wanna Rock N Roll now has $10,000 in the bank this year and $242,477 lifetime.
Also during the 11-race program, David McNeight III scored a
pair of victories in the bike while trainer David Russo had a double.
Racing will continue at Buffalo Raceway on Friday night with
the first post scheduled for 5 p.m.
For more information including the latest news, upcoming
promotions, race replays and results, go to www.buffaloraceway.com
