Blue Bell Bonnie ($3.90) was seeing "red" in the stretch and rallied to register the victory in Buffalo Raceway's featured $10,000 Filly and Mare Open Pace on Wednesday night (Jan. 27).
Driven by Jim Morrill Jr., Blue Bell Bonnie took the lead at the top of the lane and never looked back in beating Yankee Secret by a non-threatening half length in 2:00 over the good track. Lady Dudette took the show position.
The win helped kick off a tremendous opening night for Morrill Jr., owner Mike Torcello and trainer Gerry Sarama as the threesome combined on five victories. Morrill Jr. finished the evening with six trips to the winner's circle.
Blue Bell Bonnie went on a three-race tour to Yonkers and Northfield Park during the hiatus between the Batavia Downs and Buffalo Raceway meets and she was ready to go.
Sitting fourth behind the pace setting HP Sissy, who set fractions of :29.3, 1:00 and 1:29, Blue Bell Bonnie was first over up the backstretch the final time. With the two on even terms with a quarter mile left but hitting the top of the stretch, Blue Bell Bonnie slowly but surely crept away from the field, notching the victory.
Blue Bell Bonnie (Mister Big-The Girl Can Bet) collected her first win in three tries on the 2021 campaign. The victory upped the nine-year-old mare's seasonal earnings to $6,140 and $215,864 lifetime.
Defending Buffalo Raceway driver Billy Davis Jr. started the season out with two wins along with Kevin Cummings. Maria Rice, who took the 2020 training crown, posted two victories.
Racing will resume on Saturday (Jan. 30) with an eight-race program set to start at 5 p.m. (EST).
(Buffalo Raceway)