by Brian J. Mazurek, for Buffalo Raceway
HAMBURG, N.Y. --- Rose Run Ranger ($10.60) usually finds
success on the front end but he had no trouble in reversing his role to a
closer on Saturday night (May 25) and it paid off with a win in the $12,000
Class AA pace at Buffalo Raceway.
The front-stepping Fireyourguns (Mike Caprio) returned to
action after a year layoff and immediately went to his typical spot, setting
the pace. While Rose Run Ranger settled into sixth and last, Fireyourguns
posted splits of :27.2, :56.2 and 1:25.4 in coming off the sidelines.
But driver Ray Fisher Jr. and Rose Run Ranger started their
drive to the front down the stretch the first time and eventually rolled past
Fireyourguns in the lane. They took a 2-1/4 triumph in 1:55.1 over the good
track. China Dream (Billy Davis Jr.) was third.
Co-owned by the Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi
LLC, the 6-year-old gelded Rose Run Ranger (Major In Art-A And Gs Finest) is
trained by James Clouser Jr. The victory moved his 2019 winnings to $37,885 and
$112,861 in his career.
In the $11,500 Class AA pacing event, Western Passage
($7.60) relinquished the lead to Littlebitaclass just before the opening panel
but rallied in the stretch to capture the 1-1/4 length victory in a seasonal
best 1:54.0.
Littlebitaclass (Monti) played give and go with Western
Passage and set the fractions of :28.2, :57.1 and 1:26.1. But at the top of the
stretch, driver Kevin Cummings tipped to the outside with Western Passage and
used a :27.3 last quarter to secure the win over Littlebitaclass. Upfront
Countryboy (Ray Fisher Jr.) rallied late to take third place.
Western Passage (Sportswriter-Ever Western) is owned by the
Finocchario's Dream Stable and is trained by Mike Ohol. The victory upped his
season earnings to $23,791 and $229,275 lifetime.
There were a pair of $10,000 Class A paces on the under
card. Manceiver (Cummings) went wire-to-wire and held off A F F Bigdaddy (David
McNeight III) by a length in 1:54.3 to notch the $7.70 decision in the first
bracket.
The other division went to Western Conquest ($4.90) as
Fisher Jr. guided him to an easy 1-1/4 length win over Next Success (Davis Jr.)
in 1:55.3.
Shawn McDonough led the way for the drivers with three wins
while Fisher Jr., Ron Beback Jr. and Cummings each had two victories.
Racing will resume on Wednesday evening at 5 p.m. with a
nine race program to be presented. There's a $285 carryover in the Pick-5 that
begins in the second race.
For more information including the latest news, race
replays, results, entries, upcoming promotions and simulcast schedule, go to www.buffaloraceway.com
