by Brian J. Mazurek, for Buffalo Raceway
HAMBURG, N.Y. --- Beachy Dream swept by the field like a
tidal wave and surfed his way to a dominating 4-1/2 length win over Dark Horse
in Buffalo Raceway's $11,000 Class AA Open Handicap Pace on Saturday night
(Feb. 23).
Driver Shawn Gray sent Beachy Dream to the winner's circle
and remained scorching hot at Buffalo Raceway as he banked four victories on
the program to push his total to 23 in just 75 starts. He had four victories on
Wednesday's card.
It was a mad dash for the lead with IYQ YQR and Dark Horse
fighting it out to the half mile pole while Beachy Dream enjoyed the
festivities from fifth. Gray then asked Beachy Dream to go to work and he
responded perfectly.
Getting live cover, Beachy Dream stormed three-wide to the
three-quarter pole and easily stormed his way to the lead, drawing off by
widening 4-1/2 lengths in 1:58.1 over the good track. Dark Horse (Ray Fisher
Jr.) picked up the place check while Mr Euroman N (Billy Davis Jr.) was third.
Beachy Dream (If I Can Dream-Beachy Girl) is an 8-year-old
gelding that has found the winner's circle three times in five appearances in
2019. Owned by Mike Torcello and trained by Gerry Sarama, Beachy Dream has now
earned $17,920 on the year and $198,060 in his career.
There were a pair of sub-featured $9,500 Class A races on
the card. The most impressive in the two events was A F F Bigdaddy ($2.60) who
strolled to an easy 5-1/4 length win over Im So Handsome in 1:56.1.
After sitting back and watching the scrum take place on the
front end, A F F Bigdaddy (Drew Monti) took over just before the quarter pole
and never felt any pressure the rest of the way.
Owned by Jennifer and Marcus Rogowski and trained by Steve
Kiblin, it was the second victory in three starts this season for A F F
Bigdaddy (Sir Luck-Artacam Hanover). The 6-year-old gelding has now put $10,840
in the bank on the campaign and $89,865 lifetime.
In the other contest, four horses had a taste of the lead at
some point but it was Manceiver ($5.40) who was on top when it counted the
most, at the wire.
Manceiver (Gray) had the lead early, was shuffled back, but
found a way to shake free in the stretch to register a 1-3/4 length nod over
Foreign Officer (Monti) in 1:58.1.
Conditioned by Sarama and owned by Torcello, it was the
third victory in five outings this season for the 5-year-old gelded Manceiver
(Sportswriter-Swift N Shout). The win jacked his seasonal earnings to $14,390
and $109,027 in his career.
Monti also had an excellent night in the sulky as he had
five victories while Davis Jr. doubled. Sarama had three training scores and
Lee Dahn had a pair.
Racing will resume on Wednesday evening with a 13-race
program scheduled for 5 p.m. The finals and the consolation round of the
'Opportunity Knocks' Series highlight the card along with the $10,500 Class A
Open Handicap Trot and the $10,500 Class A Open Handicap Pace for the ladies.
For more information including the latest news, race
replays, results, entries, upcoming promotions and simulcast schedule, go to www.buffaloraceway.com
