Xenias Chip shot out to an early lead and held on at the wire to win the $14,000 Open I-II Handicap Pace for the ladies at Buffalo Raceway on Wednesday afternoon (April 20) in a seasonal best 1:56.2 over the fast track.
Scoring from the three post, Xenias Chip was the only leaver as the starting gate swung open. With uncontested fractions of :29.1, :58.2 and 1:26.4, Xenias Chip braced herself for the late threats from the closers.
She Can Party (James McNeight Jr.) took her best shot at Xenias Chip from the passing lane while Pretty Blue Angel (Kyle Cummings) came from the outside. But neither could go past the stubborn Xenias Chip, who hung on for the neck victory. She Can Party and Pretty Blue Angel took the minor spoils by finishing second and third, respectively.
Trained by Jim Graham and owned by Keith Pinkowski, Xenias Chip (Heston Blue Chip-Xenia Hanover) made her third trip to the winner's circle in her five-year-old campaign. The win pushed her seasonal earnings to $19,585 and lifetime bankroll to $101,727.
Delilah De Vie ($7.80) sat patiently in fourth place turning for home then exploded in the stretch to collect the victory over Frontier New Moon in the $9,800 pace for the fillies and mares in 1:57.4.
With Frontier New Moon (Wade Tomaszewski) on the point with splits of :29, :58.1 and 1:28, Delilah De Vie (Kevin Cummings) was the widest and fastest down the lane to collect the victory by three-quarters of a length. Frontier New Moon had to settle for the second-place cheque with Twin B Kini (Kyle Cummings) taking third.
Owned by Brianne Good and trained by James Clouser Jr., Delilah De Vie (Art Major-Beach Girl) is an eight-year-old mare that has won three times in nine attempts this season. The victory improved her 2022 bankroll to $13,506 and lifetime earnings to $83,506.
McNeight III scored a driving triple during the matinee program while Kevin Cummings doubled. Ryan Swift conditioned two winners.
Racing will continue on Saturday afternoon beginning at 1:30 p.m., with a 12-race card scheduled.
(With files from Buffalo Raceway)