Fiorentina ($7) fired out the starting gate and never looked back in easily winning the $10,500 Open Trot at Buffalo Raceway in a sparkling 1:58.3 over the fast track on a brisk Friday night.
With most of the field of eight coming in from other tracks, the current Buffalo-based Fiorentina (Aaron Byron) set sail from the four post and put up fractions of :30.3, 1:01 and 1:30. A :57.3 second half-mile, including a blistering :28.3 final panel, spelled doom for the rest of the field.
Zorgwijk Heavenly (Ray Fisher Jr.) rallied for second while even money favourite Ellisarro Hanover (Shawn McDonough) took third as both failed to come up with an answer to catch the winner in the stretch.
Owned by Ontario's Frank Lamacchia and Guy Polillo, Fiorentina (Angus Hall-Red Hot And Blue) is a homebred five-year-old mare trained by John Mungillo. The win was the 15th of her career and moved her lifetime earnings to $124,029.
Racing resumes on Saturday night with a 13-race program on tap beginning at 6:40 p.m. The feature is the eighth race where a field of seven will go to the post in the $10,500 Open Pace.
Buffalo Raceway schedule shifts to Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights next week.
(With files from Buffalo Raceway)