The weather may have been chilly and rainy, but Lanjo Lee made it look like a summertime stroll in the park as he wired the field in the $21,233 Open Handicap Pace at Buffalo Raceway on Saturday, April 25.
Lanjo Lee stormed off the gate for Kyle Cummings and immediately took control of the field. He put together fractions of :28.2, :57.4 and 1:25.4, and after extending his gap with a :28 third panel, the gelding opened up by 5-1/4 lengths at the eighth pole. Down the stretch, Lanjo Lee kept the field behind at a safe distance as he cruised home to a 2-1/2-length victory in 1:54.3 over a track rated good. Stormalong (Brett MacDonald) took second over Dont Poke The Bear (David McNeight III).
Owned by Gordon Swift of Bath, N.Y. and trained by Tammy Cummings, Lanjo Lee scored his first victory on the campaign in seven tries. The seven-year-old So Surreal-My Drag Queen gelding now has $434,791 in lifetime earnings and 35 wins from 104 starts. He paid $6.78 to win.
The $21,233 Open Trot looked like a replay of last week's victory for Dealin With Dewey as he posted a coast-to-coast one-length win over Big Baller Beane in 1:57.
Starting from the three hole, Dealin With Dewey reached the top with ease for Brett MacDonald as Big Baller Beane (Kevin Cummings) was content to draft along in the pocket. After splits of :28.4, :58.3 and 1:27.4, Dealin With Dewey just had to deal with Big Baller Beane down the lane. Big Baller Beane gave it his best effort on the outside, but Dealin With Dewey was too much and snuffed out that attempt for his fourth Buffalo Open win of the year. Valentine Express (Drew Monti) was third.
The eight-year-old Dealin With Dewey, owned and trained by Sara Baillargeon of Guelph, Ont. has now won four times in 11 races this season. The son of Wheelin N Dealin-Rockin With Dewey is 32-for-149 lifetime with $528,945 in earnings. He paid $4.14 at the windows.
Monti, MacDonald and Kyle Cummings and tripled on the 13-race program with James McNeight Jr. and Kevin Cummings registering two wins each. Jeff Martin and Samuel Smith each had training doubles.
Racing will resume on Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. with a 13-race program slated.
(With files from Buffalo Raceway; photo of Lanjo Lee winning on April 25)