Lillian Rose has shown that the front is where she is most successful, and that method worked again on Wednesday afternoon (April 6) as she managed to turn back a determined longshot Odds On Dead Heat in Buffalo Raceway's $11,300 Pace for the fillies and mares.
For the third-straight week, all of which were front-stepping victories, Lillian Rose showed the way over the "fast" track at the Hamburg half-mile oval to post the half-length win in a seasonal best 1:56.2.
Odds On Dead Heat, going off at 80-1 odds, fired from the eight post quickly and managed to reach the top. But driver Dan Yetman and Lillian Rose, who scored from the inside, were not going to let Odds On Dead Heat stomp out the fractions.
Taking the advantage near the quarter pole, Lillian Rose put up splits of :29.3, :58.3 and 1:27.2. Oporto Hanover looked like she was going to be a top contender as she used a first over journey hitting the last panel but that charge rally soon fizzled out.
Lillian Rose kept on task through the stretch as Odds On Dead Heat trimmed slowly into the advantage but ran out of real estate and came up a half-length short. The favoured Peggy J finished in third.
Co-owned by Sandra Beback and the JC's Get R Done Stable, Lillian Rose is trained by Ron Beback Jr. The five-year old mare (Time To Roll-Up Front Sharon) has now scored three wins in five outings in 2022, earning $18,150 on the campaign and $90,654 lifetime. He paid $8.70 to win.
Xenias Chip used a perfect pocket trip and beat Tucson Breeze by a length in the sub-featured $9,800 pace for the ladies.
Tucson Breeze was able to post fractions of :29.1, :58.2 and 1:28 but had no answers after that. Xenias Chip, with a perfect trip, popped the pocket and powered her way to the victory in 1:57. Twin B Kini took the show spot.
Trained by Jennifer Giuliani and owned by Keith Pinkowski, it was the second win in six attempts for Xenias Chip (Heston Blue Chip-Xenia Hanover). The five-year-old mare has bankrolled $12,020 on the year and $94,162 in her career. Drew Monti drove the winner.
Yetman, Morrill Jr. and David McNeight III also posted two victories on the matinee card while Lisa Mariacher conditioned a pair of winners.
Racing will continue on Saturday afternoon (April 9) beginning at 1:30 p.m. (EDT) with a 12-race program scheduled.
(Buffalo Raceway)