Golden Terror, a five-year-old Western Terror gelding out of the Artiscape mare Bell Amis Love, won the $10,000 Open Pace over a sloppy track at Buffalo Raceway Saturday night (April 21). The win was the fifth this season for Golden Terror, who definitely shows a liking to the off going.

Golden Terror ($33.00), leaving from post six in the field of eight and driven for the first time by reinsman Keith Kash Jr., settled in sixth as Lake Shark (Kevin Cummings) hit the quarter in :28.1. Odds on favourite and eventual third place finisher Cam Patch (Shawn Gray) re-took the lead to the half in :57.2 and hit three-quarters in 1:27.1.

As the field hit the top of the stretch, Golden Terror was dead last and buried on the inside with nowhere to go, but Buffalo Raceway’s long stretch and passing lane enabled this gutsy gelding to unleash a :29.3 last quarter-mile and prevail in 1:57.2, beating second place finisher Mark It On Ice (John Cummings Jr.) by three-quarters of a length at the wire.

Meet leading trainer John Mungillo conditions the gelding for owners Terri L. and David C. Esposito of Buffalo, New York. The $5,000 winner's share of the purse put Golden Terror’s season bankroll at $35,209 and lifetime earnings at $106,601.

(With files from Buffalo Raceway)