Buffalo Raceway was a front-end paradise on Saturday, May 30 as nine winners out of 13 led at the quarter, including Lanjo Lee and Make Me Charlie in the featured $20,417 Open Pace and $20,417 Open Trot, respectively.

Lanjo Lee ($3.80) enjoyed the fresh air on the lead and cruised to an easy four-length victory over Marvellous Mac A in 1:54 in the Open Pace, while Makes Me Charlie ($5.46) followed suit in the Open Trot with a convincing two-length triumph over Crazy Fool in 1:58.3.

Lanjo Lee (Kyle Cummings) fought to the top from the three-hole and posted reasonable fractions of :28.4, :58 and 1:26.1. Marvellous Mac A (Drew Monti) was first-over and got within a length with a quarter mile to pace, but Lanjo Lee blasted a :27.1 kicker to easily stride away to the victory. Marvellous Mac A could do no better than second place, with Bottle Rocket (Mike Whalen) finishing 9-1/4 lengths back of the winner in third.

Owned by Gordon Swift and trained by Tammy Cummings, Lanjo Lee has won twice in 12 starts this season. The seven-year old son of So Surreal-My Drag Queen now has $461,709 in career earnings and 36 victories in 109 starts. 

In the Open Trot, Makes Me Charlie took full advantage of the pylon position and never looked back in earning the decision. Makes Me Charlie (James McNeight Jr.), aided by the early break of the usually front-stepping and heavily favoured El Toro Loco (Kevin Cummings), went to the top and set fractions of :29.4, :59.4 and 1:29.3. Makes Me Charlie enjoyed a 1-1/2-length lead with a quarter to go and had nothing but clear sailing the rest of the way, notching the two-length win. Crazy Fool (Kyle Cummings) took the second-place award, beating Mercutio (Brett MacDonald), who settled for third.

Makes Me Charlie made his second trip to the winner's circle in five outings this year for trainer Margaret Butler, who shares ownership with Amy Butler. The six-year-old Mets Hall-Makes Me Crazy gelding is now 22-for-52 lifetime with $159,602 in the bank.

Earlier on the card, Motive Hanover reached the 50-win milestone with a dominant performance in a $12,500 conditioned event. The 10-year-old son of Well Said-Maeve Hanover set fractions of :28.3, :58.2 and 1:27 and came home a four-length winner in a seasonal-best 1:55.4. Wayfairen Stranger (Wade Tomaszewski) finished second over Larry Karr (Mike Whelan). Motive Hanover, trained by Candace Brandstatter-Hall, earned his 50th win in his 219th start, raising his earnings to $501,453. He is seven-for-19 this year for owner Michael Milazzo. The win price was $7.72.

David McNeight III continued his solid week with four wins on the 13-race program, while McNeight Jr. and Monti each doubled. Brandstatter-Hall and Dakota Jackson each had two training victories.

Racing will resume at Buffalo on Wednesday afternoon with a 15-race program set. The New York Sire Stakes returns for the first time this season as the three-year-old colt-and-gelding pacers square off in the sixth race for a purse of $121,800 USD. The card will open with the first of three divisions of the Excelsior Series, with $20,000 USD on the line for the sophomore male pacers.

(Buffalo Raceway; photo of Lanjo Lee winning on May 30)