Knocking Around has been camera shy recently, but that doesn't mean the seven-year-old gelding hasn't been trying.
With three runner-up finishes and two shows in his last five appearances in Open competition, it was just a matter of time before Knocking Around got back into the win column.
That time came on Saturday night (February 11).
Knocking Around ($6.10) got a perfect first-over trip and held on at the wire to take Buffalo Raceway's $10,000 Open Pace in 1:59.3 over a sloppy track. After 10 victories and $86,370 in earnings in 2016, it was his first win in four starts this year.
With Littlebitaclass setting the splits of :29.2, 1:00.0 and 1:30.2, the closers were ready to pounce in the final panel on the pacesetter in the stretch.
Pounce they did.
Knocking Around (David McNeight III) led the charge down the stretch and was able to hold back the valiant attempts by China Dream (Shawn Gray) and Itsonlyrocknroll A (Larry Stalbaum), who finished in second and third, respectively. It was a blanket finish with just three-quarters of a length separating the top three finishers.
Owned by Courtney McNeight and trained by David McNeight Jr., Knocking Around (Western Terror-So Completely) has now won $11,200 this season and $262,603 lifetime.
Stalbaum, Kevin Cummings, Ray Fisher Jr., Shawn Gray and McNeight III all doubled on the program while McNeight Jr. and Kimberly Asher each had two training victories.
Racing will resume on Wednesday night at Buffalo Raceway with a 12-race program scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. There's a $1,291 carryover in the Pick-5 on Wednesday which starts in the second race. It's the first Pick-5 carryover of the season.
(Buffalo Raceway)