by Brian J. Mazurek, for Buffalo Raceway
HAMBURG, N.Y. --- There are 23 freshmen colt and gelding
trotters entered in Wednesday night's (June 26) New York Sire Stakes at Buffalo
Raceway and while the boys may be short on experience, their preps for the
three divisions worth approximately $37,000 have been certainly impressive.
The group as a whole has 42 starts in betting and qualifying
races leading up to Wednesday night's action. The boys have earned 16
victories, 10 second place finishes and nine thirds in those attempts with only
nine not hitting the board.
Credit Winner and Conway Hall have each sired six entrants,
RC Royalty has four, Crazed three, Muscle Mass two while Chapter Seven and
Muscles Yankee have one apiece.
The first leg will go off as the second race with
Pushthebuttonmax (Muscle Mass-Julieannie) tabbed the 3-to-1 morning line
favorite from the five post with John Stark Jr. in the bike.
On June 21, Pushthebuttonmax had a good third place finish
in a conditioned event at Saratoga Raceway, losing by just 1-1/4 lengths to
Broken Tale in 2:00.0. He also had a win in a qualifier at Saratoga on June 16.
The main threat could come from Certify (Credit Winner-Good
Intentions) who drew the four post for driver Claude Huckabone Jr. In a
conditioned race at Saratoga on June 21, he jumped off stride and spotted the
field 16-3/4 lengths before regrouping and finishing third just 2-1/4 lengths
back.
The remainder of the field will include The Butler Did It
(Anthony McDonald), Sure Hit (Kyle Husted), Thunder (Jason Bartlett), Rx For
Success (Scott Zeron) and Charlieman (Dan Daley).
Horns For Three (Credit Winner-Swoosh Hanover) leads the
field in the second bracket as he's the 5-to-2 choice for driver Kevin Cummings
out of the six hole.
Coming in from Hoosier Park, Horns For Three has been lights
out in his two qualifiers, winning both. His first attempt came on June 9 where
he won by 1-3/4 lengths in 2:00.4 and followed that up with an 11-1/4 length
victory in 1:58.3.
Jake G's Champion arrives from Vernon Downs with a pair of
non-betting scores. Last time out on June 15, Jake G's Champion (RC
Royalty-Super Starlet) rolled to a 2-1/4 win in 1:59.0. He'll get the four post
with Zeron in the bike.
The rest of the entrants include Leap Year Lucky (Dan
Daley), Okay (Huckabone Jr.), Rap Sheet (Husted), Crazyforlovinyou (Morrill
Jr.), Barn Beast (Mike Caprio) and The Chutzpah Kid (Chuck Connor Jr.).
Chip Chip Conway (Conway Hall-Get Chipped) drew the rail in
the last division and was installed as the 3-to-1 top pick with Morrill Jr. to
drive. He's been solid thus far, winning his qualifier at Pocono Down by two
lengths in 2:00.0 then romping away to a 5-1/4 length score in a maiden race at
Tioga Downs on June 16 in 1:59.0.
Whimzical Chapter (Chapter Seven-Whimzical Britt) may be the
main contender from the five post with Daley in the sulky. In his lone
qualifier back on June 8 at Vernon Downs, Whimzical Chapter went gate-to-wire
in 2:00.1 to register a 5-1/4 length triumph.
Others in the leg include Sanchez Rocks (Drew Monti), Our
White Knight (Bartlett), Xcuseme (John Stark Jr.,) Jnr Express (John
MacDonald), Travel Winner (Trevor Henry) and Simple Kaos (Zeron).
Racing will begin at 5 p.m. with events in the Excelsior A
and B series also on the 11-race program. There's an $845 carryover in the
Pick-5 which begins in the second race.
For more information including the latest news, upcoming
promotions, simulcast schedule, race replays, result and entries, go to www.buffaloraceway.com
