After winning last week’s Open II in 1:55, which is the fastest mile of the meet so far, Cam Patch won the $11,000 Open Pace in 1:56.1 for owners David P. Ball and Jerry R. Reinhart at Buffalo Raceway Saturday night (January 26).
It was the second win this year for the eight-year-old gelding out of Cambest, who now has 32 lifetime wins in 149 attempts.
Cam Patch ($3.90), the prohibitive favourite in the race, shot right to the lead from post three, and with reinsman Dan Noble in the sulky, took no prisoners setting all the fractions in the race (:28.4, :58.3, and 1:27.3). A :28.3 last quarter-mile put the winner three-quarters of a length in front of second-place finisher Dontgetinskyway (Dave McNeight III). Last week’s Open winner Shu Fu (Ray Fisher, Jr.) came in third.
Trained by Alex Giuliani, the $5,500 share of the winning purse put Cam Patch’s lifetime earnings at $221,838.
John Cummings Jr. led all drivers with four wins on the night aboard Macksmith ($12.00), Xcell Irish Spirit ($12.80), One More Molly ($4.10), and His Aliben ($4.40).
(With files from Buffalo Raceway)