Ontario-sired Hour Lavec won the $11,000 featured Open Trot in 2:00.2 at Buffalo Raceway Friday night (April 12) over a sloppy track.
The win was the second in 12 attempts this season for Hour Lavec, a seven-year-old Mr Lavec gelding who is trained by Megan Wilson for new owners Finish Line Investors of Rochester, New York and John Paul Cummings Jr. of Williamsville, New York.
Driver John Cummings Jr. put Hour Lavec ($3.60), the 4-5 favourite in the race, on the lead just past the :30.2 quarter-pole and he set the rest of the fractions in the race -- 1:01.1 to the half and 1:31.2 to the three-quarter marker. A :29 last quarter-mile put the winner three lengths ahead of second-place finisher and last week’s Open winner Ziegfeld (Dave McNeight III) at the finish line. Oaklea Tyson (Ray Fisher Jr.) came in third.
The $5,000 winner;s share of the purse put Hour Lavec’s seasonal earnings at $23,140 and lifetime bankroll at $381,066. The win was his 24th in 117 lifetime starts.
Cummings Jr. and Dan Noble led all drivers with four wins apiece on the card.
Racing will resume on Saturday, April 13 with first post scheduled for 6:40 p.m. eastern time. The Pick 7 still has not been hit since the beginning of the meet and sits at $18,661 going into Saturday night.
(With files from Buffalo Raceway)