Final Game and driver Wade Tomaszewski had the final say down the stretch in Buffalo Raceway's featured $15,753 conditioned optional claiming pace on Friday afternoon, May 8 as they won the battle down the stretch to take a half-length victory over JD Camden GB in 1:57.2.

Favourite Intrepid Ivy (Brett MacDonald) set up shop on the front end and registered fractions of :28.2, :58.3 and 1:28.1 before he started to feel the heat on the outside as Final Game made a slow but steady move on the outside, advancing from an early six-hole. Turning for the wire, Intrepid Ivy began to falter as Final Game, longshot JD Camden GB (Kyle Cummings) and Kid From The Bronx (David McNeight III) made moves toward the top. Final Game was in the middle of the skirmish down the stretch and was able to top JD Camden GB and Kid From The Bronx, who settled for second and third place, respectively.

Trained by Courtney Wright for local owner Philip Mazzone, the five-year-old gelded Final Game (Heston Blue Chip-Last Time To Play) earned his first win following a pair of runner-up finishes since being claimed on April 11. The win was his 18th lifetime and pushed his career earnings to $165,686. He paid $15.08 to win at odds of 6-1.

Wright also sent out a winner in the co-featured $15,753 trotting events as Bars Open ($9.74) rallied three-wide to get a half-length nod over Mister Squeeze (Drew Monti) in 1:58.3. David McNeight III was aboard the six-year-old Bar Hopping-New Day gelding, who is owned by Leslie Shafer of Batavia, New York.

In the other bracket, Said N Done AS ($3.86) scored a 1-1/2-length decision over tempo-setter Star Power Hanover (Kevin Cummings) in 1:58.4 as Brett MacDonald steered the seven-year-old My MVP-High Musclemass gelding to the popular pocket-popping victory for trainer Davis Russo and owner Caeleo Enterprises of Eden, New York. The victory was part of a training triple on the 12-race card for Russo while MacDonald topped the drivers with four victories.

Racing will resume on Saturday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. with a 13-race program.

(With files from Buffalo Raceway)