Lougazi ($3.10) is really beginning to love the inside post. For the third straight week, Lougazi drew the inside and turned it into a winning journey as he snatched the victory in a $16,712 conditioned trot on Saturday night (April 27) at Buffalo Raceway. He beat longshot Kilimanjaro NL by a handy 1-1/2 lengths in 1:59.4 over the 'good' track.
BJs Smitty (David McNeight III) and Flo Lashomb (Joseph Chindano Jr.) both fired off the gate in the featured trot. BJs Smitty got the advantage as Flo Lashomb broke stride. The miscue allowed Lougazi to keep pylon position and draft behind BJs Smitty.
After fractions of :29.4, :59.4 and 1:30, BJs Smitty turned for home with a narrow lead but the always closing Lougazi sat behind patiently.
With the passing lane opening up, driver Ray Fisher Jr. didn't need to urge Lougazi on as the 10-year-old gelding knew exactly what to do for his third straight win from the rail and 61st lifetime victory. Kilimanjaro (Shawn McDonough) used a big charge to take second place while BJs Smitty held on for third.
Owned by Mary Warriner and trained by Ryan Swift, Lougazi (Lous Legacy-Winning Blade) has now produced $28,034 in earnings this season and $542,900 in his stellar career.
In the co-featured $16,712 conditioned pace, after a pair of narrow losses, Six Degrees ($3.30) righted the ship and beat Villiam (Chindano Jr.) by a length in 1:56.4.
Villiam got off to a great start from the seven post and set soft fractions of :30, 1:00 and 1:28.1. But Six Degrees was sitting in the garden spot and waited to measure out the final move. That move came midway down the long stretch as driver Luke Hanners pulled Six Degrees to the outside and easily cruised past Villiam to register the win. Street Art (Dan Yetman) skimmed the pylons for third-place honours.
Owned by Morrison Racing Stables and conditioned by Shawn McDonough, the six-year-old gelded Six Degrees (Somebeachsomewhere-Apongee
Racing returns on Wednesday, May 1 beginning at 2:30 p.m. with an 11-race program.
(With files from Buffalo Raceway)