by Brian J. Mazurek, for Buffalo Raceway
HAMBURG, N.Y. --- It was another racing day at Buffalo
Raceway on Wednesday night (July 11) and there was another track record broken
as Amal Hall ($3.20) did the honors this time with a hard-fought neck victory
in her $36,000 (approx.) division of New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) for the
2-year-old filly trotters.
Amal Hall (Andy Miller) went the mile in 1:59.0, blowing
away the previous mark of 2:00.0 set last season by Plunge Blue Chip. It was
the tenth track record either broke or tied at Buffalo Raceway in 2018.
Miller swept the NYSS early daily double as he guided With
Out A Doubt ($3.70) to the win in 2:00.4 while Safe Word ($5.10) captured the
final bracket with a 4-3/4 length decision in 2:01.0 with Jeff Gregory in the
bike.
In the opener, Quincy Blue Chip (Jim Morrill Jr.) set the
pace while Sensibility (Scott Zeron) and Amal Hall tucked into second and third
respectively. Approaching the three-quarter marker, Miller tipped Amal Hall
first over and began to chip into the lead turning for home.
Eventually, Amal Hall wore down the pace-setting Quincy Blue
Chip and managed to stick a neck in front at the wire for the win. Sensibility
took the show position.
"When I pulled her out, she kept going faster and
faster," Miller said of Amal Hall. "I am happy with her performance.
She's a nice filly."
Co-owned by the Andy Miller Stable, the Getty Stable and the
Dumain Haven Farm, Amal Hall (Credit Winner-Arabella Hall) is trained by Julie
Miller. The win was the second in three tries this season for Amal Hall who
pushed her earnings to $47,058.
Miller made it two straight as he used the passing lane to
give With Out A Doubt a three-quarter length score over Gobi Princess (Zeron)
and Exotic Diamond (Morrill Jr.).
Summermusic'chapter (Dan Daley) set the tempo with splits of
:30.0, 1:01.1 and 1:31.2 but was under siege as the field turned for home. With
Out A Doubt dropped to the 'lightning lane' and was the quickest in the dash to
the wire.
Co-owned by Ross Bonafield, Robert McCarthy and James Moran,
With Out A Doubt (Conway Hall-Queen Of More) is trained by Erv Miller. The win
was the first in three attempts for With Out A Doubt, now a winner of $29,140.
The final division was a stroll for Safe Word as she went
right to the lead and never looked back in posting a solid 4-3/4 length triumph
over Liquorstoreblues (Morrill Jr.). It's My Party (Sam Schillaci) took the
show position.
Safe Word posted splits of :30.3, 1:01.4 and 1:32.0 and had
no threats in cruising to the finish line.
Owned by driver/trainer Gregory, William Richardson, Martin
Garey and Henry Wieseneck, Safe Word (Credit Winner-Fifty Shades) has now
posted two wins in three starts, earning $44,321.
Miller finished the night with three wins as he drove Song
Chapter ($5.00) to a victory in a $15,000 division of the Excelsior A Series
with a mile of 2:04.0. Barn Tease ($5.10) took the other leg as Claude
Huckabone Jr. steered her to the decision in 2:03.2.
In the $6,600 Excelsior B events, Ms O'Reilly ($12.60) took
her race for Gregory with a 2:04.4 mark while Morganslovin Dream (Daley)
trotted the mile in 2:04.2 and returned $5.10 in the victory.
Racing will continue on Friday night at 5 p.m. with a
10-race program scheduled.
For more information including the latest news, upcoming
promotions, simulcast schedule, race replays, results and entries, go to www.buffaloraceway.com
