The barns are completely full, the racetrack surface has been re-banked and some top-notch drivers are ready to roll into town as Buffalo Raceway gets into final preparation mode for its 2015 harness racing season.
The 92-day race meet will begin on Wednesday, January 14 with a 5 p.m. first post for the 13-race program.
The season schedule shows live racing on Wednesday evenings at 5 p.m. along with Friday and Saturday nights with 6:35 p.m. first-race post times. Buffalo Raceway will then add the popular Sunday afternoon cards beginning on June 7. The season will conclude on Sunday, July 26.
"We are expecting a great year," Buffalo Raceway Director of Operations Jon Cramer said. "The barns are completely full, the track has been re-banked and our simulcasting is growing. We will be sending our signal throughout the state of Illinois this year and at Hoosier Park in Indiana. Also, we'll be on TVG and we expect our Canadian simulcast to grow as well."
Buffalo Raceway has been known in the past few years as the place to be for top drivers nationally to come for the winter months. This season, Buffalo Raceway may have hit the jackpot.
Scheduled to get in the sulky at the half-mile track includes two-time defending National Dash champion Ronnie Wrenn Jr. (847 wins), Rosecroft Raceway's top reinsman Frank Milby (245 wins) and Saratoga regular Billy Dobson (352 wins).
This season also marks the return of Shawn Gray, Buffalo Raceway's 2012 top driver, who posted 206 victories and over $1 million in earnings that year.
The newcomers will be challenging local star Kevin Cummings who won both the 2014 Buffalo Raceway and Batavia Downs driving crowns. Cummings had a career season with 334 victories and over $1.5 million in earnings.
Between Wrenn Jr., Milby, Dobson and the red-hot Cummings, they combined for 1,778 wins in 2014. Those numbers should make for some competitive races and for driver supremacy at Buffalo to say the least in the early part of 2015.
Other regulars returning to the track include the three young guns in Shawn McDonough, David McNeight III and Drew Monti along with veterans Jim McNeight and Jack Flanigen.
Opening night includes free programs, free magnetic 2015 racing schedules, the Guaranteed $5,000 Pick-4 that begins in the fifth race along with $3 Wednesday specials which includes draft beer, hot dogs, pretzels and pizza.
New this year in January and February, make a reservation in the clubhouse for a Saturday night and each person will receive a free racing program, a $5 Hamburg Gaming free play and your table will get $5 off your Winner's Circle Cafe purchase. Reservations can be made by calling 716-649-1280, (Ext. 300). The clubhouse will have open seating on Wednesday and Friday nights.
Members of the Player's Rewards Club who wager $500 on Buffalo Raceway in either January or February will receive a free Buffalo Raceway polo shirt with their rewards voucher.
Other promotions set later this season will include the annual March Handicapping Contest with the winner receiving entry into the World Harness Handicapping Championships at the Meadowlands Racetrack in April, the always-popular Father's Day promotion, Back To The Track and Kentucky Derby Day.
On the track, expect some great racing with the renovation of the racing strip. The turns have been re-banked. Also nearly 6,000 tons of material was put down and drainage has been improved at the finish line area.
Tom Agosti, Buffalo Raceway's racing secretary, is entering his first full season in that role and is extremely optimistic about the upcoming season. "We are full in the barn area and I think we've got enough horses to be comfortable running 13 races a night, three nights a week. You look around and every track is losing horses. They are staying home now, like in Pennsylvania and Ohio, where we used to get horses. Tracks there are offering the same purses as we are at Buffalo."
Agosti said he's really trying to build the $6,000 to $10,000 claiming bracket at Buffalo Raceway. "That level should be the meat of our racing," he stated. "We seemed to have lost that middle class and I am trying to raise it back up."
On Wednesday nights, Agosti is trying to keep things consistent with the Open Trot and Filly and Mares Open Pace expected to go as the early daily double. "It will allow our fans to watch these horses each week, keep track of them and watch them at the same time every Wednesday."
The Niatross Claiming Knockout Pacing Series has been revamped and should be an exciting competition. The ‘A’ division will begin eliminations on February 7 with the finals on February 28. The ‘B’ division will start on April 4 with the championship on April 25. Horses eligible are those that have had a base claiming tag of $4,000 (mares $5,000).
The new wrinkle is the top four finishers from each division final will return for a $25,000 Invitational in May.
"The Niatross Series has always been very popular. Now that the $25,000 Invitational has been added, there should be even more interest," Agosti said.
While the stable area is full, one new barn will arrive for the first time winter and that belongs to Jim Clousser. He raced at Batavia Downs in the fall and brings eight into the backstretch at Buffalo Raceway. Previously, Clousser raced at Tioga Downs.
JD Perrin looks to defend his training title at Buffalo Raceway. He won the 2014 title with 76 victories and conditioned 125 winners during the year. Perrin also took the Batavia Downs title.
Now if the weather can just cooperate. Buffalo Raceway had seven cancellations in 2014 due to inclement weather but with a little help from Mother Nature, sunny days could lay ahead for 2015.
For more information on Buffalo Raceway including upcoming promotions, schedule, statistics and news, go to buffaloraceway.com.
(Buffalo Raceway)