Stepping up into the top Open class for the first time in his career at Buffalo Raceway Friday night, former claiming trotter Mainspring pulled off a narrow score in the $10,000 feature event
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Mainspring, winner of an Open II earlier this year, left from Post 2 in the field of seven and settled in second for reinsman Shawn Gray as eventual third-place finisher Mystic Soulmate and Jamie Dunlap cut all the fractions in the race, :30.2, 1:00.2, and 1:30.4. As the field hit the top of the stretch, the top two drivers at the meet, Gray and Dan Noble, put on thrilling stretch drive with Mainspring edging out Noble's Baileys Magic by a head at the wire in 2:00.4. Mainspring paid $9.70 to win.
Alex Giuliani trains the seven-year-old Lockkeeper gelding out of the Veeba Rova mare Jean Riley for Batavia, New York owners Ron and Paul Viele. It was the third win this season for Mainspring and the $5,000 share of the winning purse put his seasonal bankroll at $16,608 and lifetime earnings at $183,440.
(With files from Buffalo Raceway)