After having drawn Post 8 in the first two starts of his 2020 campaign, Beachy Dream finally got some luck, as he drew Post 1 in Buffalo Raceway's featured $11,000 Class 'AA' pace on Saturday night (Feb. 15).
The change in fortunes turned into a 'dream' trip for Beachy Dream, who ended up hitting the wire first in 1:55.4.
Santana Beach, Beachy Dream and Sir Machalot all made bids to control the fractions early. When things sorted themselves out before the first quarter, Santana Beach took command and set the fractions of :29, :58.2 and 1:27.4 over the 'sloppy' track.
Sitting the pocket, winning driver Kevin Cummings tipped Beachy Dream to the outside late and collared Santana Beach by a length. Catch The Wave finished in third.
Owned by Mike Torcello and trained by Gerry Sarama, it was the first victory of the season for the nine-year-old gelded Beachy Dream (If I Can Dream-Beachy Girl). The win upped his seasonal earnings to $7,700 and $246,280 lifetime. He paid $3.00 to win.
Iluvtomakemoney went a first-over trip, then held back a closing Myells Rockstar by a nose in 1:57.4 to take the first division of the $10,000 Class A sub-featured paces.
Sitting fourth, Iluvtomakemoney started his first-over trip past the half and took command with a panel to pace. Myells Rockstar took aim at Iluvtomakemoney late but ran out of real estate and lost in the tight photo. Southwind Onyx took the show position.
Co-owned by the Tenah Merah Farms and the Swift Racing Stable, the five-year-old gelded Iluvtomakemoney (Well Said-Symphony In Motion) is trained by Ryan Swift. It was his first win in three tries this season and jumped his 2020 earnings to $6,200 and $184,831 lifetime. Ray Fisher Jr. drove the $7.10 winner.
Im So Handsome set a slow tempo early and accelerated in the final half to take the other $10,000 Class A Pace split.
Setting a :59.1 tempo the first half, Im So Handsome left the field in the dust with a :28.4 third quarter to post a two-and-a-half length victory over Blue On Black and Burning Shore.
Owned and trained by Tessa Perrin, it was the first win in three starts this season for Im So Handsome (Hot Pans-Cheyenne Rose). The victory pushed his seasonal winnings to $7,500 and $267,740 in the nine-year-old gelding's career. David McNeight III steered the $6.10 winner.
Racing will continue on Wednesday evening at 5 p.m. with a 13-race card scheduled. There's a $555 carryover in the Pick 5 starting in the second race.
(Buffalo Raceway)