The official chart lists the order of finish as a nose, nose, head, and neck. In what was the closet Open Trot of the season, Manfromnantucket hit the wire first in a four-way photo

for his third win of the season for owner-trainer Allan McCarty in a season’s best 1:59, in the $9,000 Open Trot at Buffalo Raceway Friday night, June 18.

Manfromnantucket ($11.00) settled in fourth in the field of six, with reinsman Ron Beback, Jr. at the controls. Beback pulled his trotter to the outside just before the half, and ground out a tough first-over trip getting the lead at the three-quarters in 1:28.4. A :30.1 last quarter-mile put the winner a nose ahead of Redneck Reindeer (Ken Holliday) at the wire. Classical Man (Ray Fisher, Jr.) came in third.

“I had to do it the hard way being first-over,” said Beback. “When I asked him for his best, he held off two pretty good horses.”

The $4,500 share of the winning purse put Manfromnantcuket’s season bankroll at $19,840, and $105,619 lifetime.

In the $9,000 Fillies and Mares Open Pace, Betty Tauber’s Artistry In Rhythm ($6.20), a eight-year-old Real Artist mare, with reinsman Ken Holliday aboard, held off fast charging Sun Belle Perfect (Ron Beback, Jr.) for a 1:57.1 score to register her fifth win of the 2010 campaign.

“It took a while for her to acclimate to our program,” said Holliday. “She’s had bad blood and a few other problems, but I think she’ll be OK for now.”

Trained by Ken’s wife Sherri, the $4,500 share of the winning purse boosted Artistry In Rhythm’s season bankroll to $52,265 and $298,079 lifetime.

(With files from Buffalo Raceway)