The rainy weather could not cool the red-hot Daylight Rush at Buffalo Raceway on Saturday night (July 11) as he notched a three-quarter length victory over Percys Z Tam in the $11,500 Class AA-Open Handicapped Pace.

In his last six starts since June 6, Daylight Rush has three wins and three second-place finishes. The win on Saturday gave him two straight wins and three victories out of his last four starts.

Class Six set the early fractions on the sloppy track with splits of :27.2, :56.1 and 1:25.4. But the quick splits eventually took their toll on the pacesetter.

Percys Z Team made a first-over move and powered to the top while Daylight Rush came along for the ride as Class Six retreated.

In the drive to the finish line, Daylight Rush had too much punch for Percys Z Tam and kicked clear to victory. Iluvtomakemoney closed late for the show position.

Owned by Cassandra Johnson and trained by driver David McNeight III, it was the third score in eight outings for the seven-year-old gelded Daylight Rush (Art Colony-Pass With Caution). The victory has pushed his 2020 winnings to $22,850 and $244,334 in his career. He paid $5.40 to win.

McNeight III also visited the winner's circle with Thor De Vie, rolling to an easy one-and-a-half length victory over Utah Beach in the co-featured $10,000 Class A pace in 1:57.2.

With wins in the Class B and C in his last two appearances, Thor De Vie made the natural progression to the "A" bracket and found little trouble in finding the winner's circle once again.

After relinquishing the lead briefly to Sizzling Summer, Thor De Vie roared back to the top and posted splits of :28.4, :59 and 1:28.1. In the stretch, Utah Beach made a belated bid but came up well short. In Runaway Bay N finished in third.

Co-owned by trainer Jim Graham, Lee Winters, Giuseppe Micchia and Paul Trandlmayer, it was the third win in five attempts this season for the five-year-old gelded Thor De Vie (So Surreal-Pebblebeach De Vie). The victory upped his seasonal bankroll to $13,168 and $249,130 lifetime.

The final week of the 2020 season kicks off on Wednesday night with a 13-race program slated for 6 p.m. (EDT).

(Buffalo Raceway)