It was a good day for trainer Angelo Nappo and owner Super Mile LLC on Friday afternoon, April 19 as their charges posted mild upsets in sweeping the two featured $12,603 trotting events at Buffalo Raceway.
Kilimanjaro NL ($14) took the first bracket with a two-length decision over Good Boy in 1:58.4 while later in the program, Cashier ($13.60) rang the register in collecting a two-length victory over HP Maestro in 1:59.4.
In the opener, Kilimanjaro NL (David McNeight III) watched patiently as Poets N Pirates (Kevin Cummings) and Good Boy (Ray Fisher Jr.) scrambled for the lead. With Poets N Pirates eventually grabbing the top, he posted splits of :28, :59.1 and 1:30 over the fast track. Kilimanjaro NL, drafting along in third, made a big brush approaching the final marker and finally got the advantage at the top of the stretch. A :28.3 last quarter mile by Kilimanjaro NL sealed the deal as Good Boy was able to rally for the second-place cheque while Poets N Pirates was relegated to third.
The victory was the second in 12 attempts this season for Kilimanjaro NL (Conway Hall-Adera Beko). The nine-year-old gelding, a 14-time career winner, is now just shy of the $200,000 earnings mark.
For the third straight week, Cashier (Kevin Cummings) jumped up in class and found the stiffer competition not to be an issue as the four-year-old gelding rolled to his third straight victory.
Starting from the two post for the third consecutive week, Cashier was helped out as the heavily favoured and rail-sitting Aint No Mojo jumped it off before the starting gate swung open and lost all hope. So with an uncontested lead on the front, Cashier recorded fractions of :30.1, 1:01 and 1:30.3. Down the lane, Cashier began to drift out badly but managed to keep the ship afloat and was able to hold off the late efforts by HP Maestro (Fisher Jr.) and Ricky Be Sharp (Mike Baumeister), who had to settle for second and third, respectively.
The win was the third in five appearances in 2024 for Cashier (Credit Winner-Swing Anna Cash). He has now earned five wins and more than $45,000 in his career.
Cummings posted three victories on the afternoon card with Dan Yetman and Joseph Chindano Jr. getting doubles.
Racing will return on Saturday evening at 6 p.m. with a 12-race program. The card will feature the Open Trot and Pace.
(With files from Buffalo Raceway; Photo of Kilimanjaro NL winning on April 19 at Buffalo Raceway)