by Brian J. Mazurek, for Buffalo Raceway
HAMBURG, N.Y. --- King James Express, the 2020 New York Sire
Stakes champion in the 2-year-old colt and gelding pacing division, begins his
quest for another title as the traveling series arrives at Buffalo Raceway on
Wednesday evening (June 9) highlighting the 13-race program that starts at 5
p.m.
There are 13 colts and geldings split into two divisions in
the 3-year-old pacing classification as they kick off their journey to reach
the finals scheduled for Friday, September 10 at Yonkers.
There are two divisions worth $56,000 and $57,000 each
and are scheduled to go off in the second and third races on the program.
In the first bracket, King James Express (Art Major-More
Diamonds) drew the five post in the six-horse division. Trained by Mark Harder
and to be driven by Matt Kakaley, King James Express won the NYSS 2-year-old
title by beating Town Gossip by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:56 at Yonkers.
He won four of 11 starts in 2020, earning $209,201 in purse
money on the campaign and put up a lifetime mark of 1:52 at Vernon Downs.
Things haven't started out well thus far in 2021 for King
James Express. In three tries this season, he's finished no better than fourth
which was in his most recent outing at Pocono Downs on May 25.
I'll Drink To That looks to be the top challenger to King
James Express as he has two wins and a pair of second place finishes on his
chart in 2021. Jim Morrill Jr. will steer I'll Drink To That from the six post
for trainer Chris Ryder.
Thus far in his career, I'll Drink To That (American
Ideal-Margarita Monday) has missed hitting the board just twice in nine career
starts, amassing $85,391 in winnings. He arrives off a 1-1/4 length victory in
1:51 at Harrah's Philadelphia on May 26.
No Schmo Joe (Roll With Joe-Donna Lee) drew the two spot for
driver Kevin Cummings and conditioner Dale Lawton. He has three straight wins
at both Vernon Downs and Saratoga Raceway with his best effort a 1:55.2 during
that stretch.
The rest of the field includes Bottle Rocket (Michael
Whelan), Major Makover (Mark MacDonald) and Trevor's Ace (Marcus Miller).
Major Makover did reach the NYSS Sires finals as a 2-year-old but failed
to hit the board.
In the second division, Town Gossip finished second behind
King James Express in the Sire Stakes final last year and tops the seven
entrants in the $57,000 bracket.
Town Gossip (American Ideal-Flibbertigibbet) will start from
the seven position with Drew Monti in the sulky for trainer Jennifer Bongiorno.
Finishing in the money three out of four starts this year, he's put $12,028 in
the bank and has earned $167,473 in just 11 lifetime attempts.
Stop Staring (So Surreal-Paramelons Hanover) drew the inside
post for MacDonald and conditioner Ray Schnittker. He's fresh off a pair of
impressive victories at Yonkers and also battled in the Weiss Stakes for the
3-year-old pacers at Pocono where he finished fourth in the series finale, just
1-1/2 lengths behind the winner, Kyuquot.
Others in the field include Mullinax (Morrill Jr.), Major
Bean (Matt Kakaley), Umberto (Cummings), Southwind Peter (Miller) and Special
Tyler (Leon Bailey).
The all-age colt and 3-year-old colt track record is
the longest standing mark at Buffalo Raceway, a 1:52.3 time set back on May 12,
2012 by Steelhead Hanover. The fastest clocking by a 3-year-old gelding at the
Hamburg half-mile oval is 1:51.4 established on July 7, 2018 by Hitman Hill.
There will be a pair of $15,000 Excelsior A events on the
program and a $6,500 Excelsior B race which will be the first race on the card.
For more information including the latest news, race
replays, entries and results, go to www.buffaloraceway.com
