One thing is for certain, El Toro Loco sure does love Buffalo Raceway.

For the third time in as many Buffalo starts this season, El Toro Loco ($6.60) found his way to the winner's circle after a narrow neck victory in the $20,714 Open Handicap Trot over Big Baller Beane and Dougadougadew in 1:59.4 over the 'good' track on Friday afternoon, April 11.

Alternating between starts at Northfield Park and Buffalo Raceway since late February, El Toro Loco has found little success in Ohio but when shuffling back to Western New York, he's been nothing but brilliant for trainer Samuel Smith.

This week, El Toro Loco was able to grab the lead from the six post for driver Kevin Cummings, registering fractions of :30.2 and 1:01.1. His cause was helped as My One Percent (Jim Morrill Jr.) and Platinum Proposal (Drew Monti) broke stride, thus reducing the competitive field to just five.

El Toro Loco stayed attentive in the second half as Big Ball Beane (Dan Yetman) and favourite Double Class (David McNeight III) tried to stay involved after the three-quarter mark of 1:30.3. 

But there were a few anxious moments down the stretch as El Toro Loco had to hold off late bids from Big Baller Beane and Dougadougadew (Kyle Cummings), who finished in second and third, respectively.

The win was the fifth in 10 starts on the season for the six-year-old El Toro Loco, who is co-owned by Florida's El Dorado Stables and local Hamburg, New York resident Michael Torcello. The Walner-Southwind Cabaret gelding has banked more than $50,000 already in 2025 while his lifetime bankroll sits just shy of the $300,000 mark.

Crazy Ritz ($6.70) showed the way the entire mile in the $17,857 sub-featured trot but had to hold off a pesky Newsboy to claim a half-length victory in 1:59.3.

Shooting off the car from the start, Crazy Ritz and James McNeight Jr. had no resistance in reaching the top in :29.4. With favourite Newsboy (Drew Monti) tracking in second through a half in 1:00, Rodeo Hill (David McNeight III) was starting a first-over trip down the backstretch the final time, but broke stride, basically eliminating everyone who was following along.

This just left Crazy Ritz and Newsboy to battle it out down the lane. In the stretch, Crazy Ritz never wavered as Newsboy tried in vain to catch the leader but came up short in his effort. Poets N Pirates (Dan Yetman) took third place in the scrum for minor honours nearly three lengths behind.

Crazy Ritz, a five-year-old son of Crazy Wow out of Bubblesnritz, earned his first win of the season in three starts for trainer Jim McNeight and owner James Palladino of Lockport, New York. 

VJ Panderosa and Drew Monti stunned the field in the sixth race, returning $161, capping a $8,756 payoff in the final leg of the Pick 5. Monti finished the afternoon with a driving triple.

Live harness racing will resume on Saturday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. with a 10-race program.

(With files from Buffalo Raceway)