No luck was needed for The Irishman ($4.70) at Buffalo Raceway on Friday night (March 31) as he strolled away with a four-length victory over Gruden in the featured $13,100 trot in 2:01 over the sloppy track.
Gruden was the commander of fractions with splits of :30.1, 1:00.4 and 1:31.3. The Irishman perfectly drafted behind Gruden and it was just a matter of time before driver Jim McNeight Jr. decided to go with him. That winning move occurred around the final turn and The Irishman powerfully rushed past the second-best Gruden and easily collected the win. Sanchez Rocks (John Cummings Jr.) took third.
Co-owned by Amy Cable, Cable Farms, Jim McNeight and Geoffrey Ryder, five-year-old gelding The Irishman (Cantab Hall-Demoselle Hanover) picked up his first victory in two outings this season. The win jacked his 2023 bankroll to $9,825 and lifetime total to $113,023.
There were a pair of $11,200 trotting events to highlight the undercard.
In the first division, it was 'ladies first' as the lone mare in the race, Muskingum ($3), wired the field and scored a 1-1/2-length victory over BJAnthony in 2:01.4.
Scoring from the rail, driver Joseph Chindano Jr. cruised right off the starting gate with Muskingum and took control. Posting fractions of :30.2, 1:01.0 and 1:32.0, Muskingum had no anxious moments in the race to the wire and posted a solid win over BJAnthony (David McNeight III). Le Millenaire (Jim Morrill Jr.) took the show spot.
Owned by Fox Racing and trained by Chindano Jr., six-year-old Muskingum (Triumphant Caviar-Abbey Craig) earned her second victory in four appearances this year. The win lifted her seasonal earnings to $10,394 and her lifetime earnings to $185,554.
Jumpinthejailhouse ($8) was able to sneak through along the passing lane late for driver Christian Myers and notched a half-length score over J S Swanman in 2:03.1.
It was a miserable start for J S Swanman as he broke stride and spotted the field at least 10 lengths early. But Jim Morrill Jr. got the trotter back in stride and amazingly got the lead, opening up five lengths hitting the half. But the tough comeback eventually spelled doom for J S Swanman.
The field closed in on J S Swanman with a quarter-mile to go. Jumpinthejailhouse was the quickest down the lane, dropping two-deep in the passing lane and managed to trot on by J S Swanman while Lunar Credit (McNeight Jr.) was third.
Trained by Kris Rickert and co-owned by Louis Di Nicola and Dale Wareham, 11-year-old Jumpinthejailhouse (Jailhouse Jesse-Illiads Lady) notched his third win in eight tries this year. The victory upped his earnings to $19,010 on the campaign and $314,576 in his career.
Racing will resume on Saturday night at 6 p.m. with a 12-race card.
(With files from Buffalo Raceway)