Face The Shadows didn't leave a shadow of a doubt in the $21,528 Fillies and Mares Open Pace at Buffalo Raceway on Wednesday, April 8 as she took early command and never looked back in registering a 2-1/4-length victory.

Major Megan (Ron Beback Jr.) had control early, but Face The Shadows ensured that advantage was short-lived as she pounced to the top before the quarter in :29.3. After a half of :59.2, Face The Shadows began to inch away from the field down the backstretch for Kevin Cummings as Elegant Woman A (Drew Monti) made her move on the outside. Face The Shadows led to three-quarters in 1:27.4, opened up a two-length lead around the last turn, and was never threatened down the lane as she finished the mile a seasonal best of 1:56.1. Elegant Woman A captured the second-place prize while Major Megan completed the ticket.

The victory was the second in eight attempts this year for the six-year-old daughter of Shadow Play-Face To Face. Co-owned by El Dorado Stables and Michael Torcello, Face The Shadows is trained by Samuel Smith. The win increased her career stats to 13-for-95 with $207,214 in earnings. She paid $3.72 to win.

Racing will resume at Buffalo on Friday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. with a 13-race card. The program will kick off the April Reins Claiming Series with seven divisions each going for $12,500 USD. There are 53 entrants in the series with this week's claiming tag set at $7,500 USD.

(Buffalo Raceway)