Catch The Wave caught a huge opening in the passing lane and it propelled him to a stunning $42.40 victory on Saturday night (Feb. 1) in Buffalo Raceway's featured $11,000 Class 'AA' Pace.
Weekend Atnannies stomped out fractions of :30.1, 1:00.0 and 1:29.1 over the "good" track but it was a tempo that proved a little too hot to handle on the snowy evening.
Andys Ideal and Brave Magic appeared then destined to battle to the wire as Weekend Atnannies faltered. But Catch The Wave dashed up the passing lane and took full advantage, striding to a one-and-a-quarter length victory in 1:58.2. Andys Ideal and Brave Magic captured the place and show checks respectively.
Owned by Mike Ventura and trained by Jim McNeight, it was the first win in 2020 for Catch The Wave. The eight-year-old gelding has now produced $168,884 in earnings. James McNeight Jr. sat in the sulky.
In one of the $10,000 Class A events saw Santana Beach go gate-to-wire when posting an easy two-and-a-half length decision over Southwind Torque in 1:56.3, the fastest mile of the young meet thus far.
Setting fractions of :30.0, :59.0 and 1:28.0, a :28.3 last quarter by Santana Beach took the starch out of the rest of the field. Southwind Torque managed to hold on for second with Obo Hanover rounding out the top three.
Santana Beach (Santanna Blue Chip-Beachs Luck) is an eight-year-old gelding owned by Jason Newell and conditioned by Richard Roth. The victory upped his career winnings to $141,063. David McNeight III sat in the bike.
In the other Class A Pace, Carlos Danger, driven by Ron Beback Jr., sat the pocket, took the lead, then held off a fast charging Casimir Oops by a half length in 1:58.1 to register the $14.60 win. China Dream took the show position.
Co-owned by the Decker's Corner Stable, the Decker's Gate Stable and JC's Get R Done Stable, it was the first victory of the campaign for the seven-year-old gelded Carlos Danger (American Ideal-Natchtoches). The score upped his lifetime bankroll to $198,137.
Ray Fisher Jr., Davis Jr. and McNeight Jr. all doubled in the sulky. Roth, Jim McNeight and Maria Rice had a pair of training wins.
Racing will resume on Wednesday evening at 5 p.m. with a 13-race program scheduled. There will be a $1,183 carryover in the Pick 5 which begins in the second race.
(Buffalo Raceway)