Summer Slash ($2.50) made it two consecutive victories with another wire to wire score from the pylons in Buffalo Raceway's $12,100 USD feature pace for the ladies on Wednesday afternoon, May 21.
Fresh off a head win last week from the inside, Summer Slash made quick work of the remaining six damsels as she was able grab the front end approaching the opening marker for driver Ray Fisher Jr. After splits of :29.3, :59.3 and 1:28.4, Summer Slash dashed the hopes of the closers with a :27.4 last quarter-mile. She went on to beat Rocknroll Shelli by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:56.3 over the "good" track. The pocket-sitting Rocknroll Shelli (David McNeight III) took the place honours with GD Cool Otoole (Denny Bucceri) getting the third-place cheque.
Owned by Ilovemyharnesshorsesummer and trained by Ryan Swift, six-year-old Summer Slash (Downbytheseaside-Before The Poison) earned her second victory in six outings, jumping her seasonal bankroll to $14,820 USD and career earnings to $172,785 USD.
There were a pair of $10,500 USD paces for the fillies and mares on the matinee program.
Clover ($5.10) and driver Kyle Cummings took the first division as a determined effort paved the way to the 1-1/4-length victory over Shake Me Loose (Drew Monti) in 1:56.2. Hurry Up (Denny Bucceri) held on for third place.
After a battle on the front end with Go Tell Murph (Joseph Chindano Jr.) and Morgans All In (Dan Yetman), Clover was able to take control with splits of :28.1 and :58.2. But things didn't come easy for Clover as Hurry Up was first-up to challenge but had that attempt squashed. She then had to deal with Shake Me Loose and that effort was nullified by Clover, who ended up with the win in 1:56.2.
The triumph was the second in eight starts for the seven-year-old Clover (Sportswriter-Connie Mach), who is co-owned by trainer Dale Lawton and Chris Lawton. The victory pushed her seasonal total to $13,747 USD and lifetime stash to $219,934 USD.
In the second bracket, Always Choose Chip ($7.50) and Kyle Cummings went three-wide approaching the final marker and swooped past the leaders in scoring a three-quarter-length decision over Beautiful Lights (Dan Yetman) in a seasonal best of 1:57.4.
After watching Arco N and Beautiful Lights duke it out stride for stride for three-quarters of a mile, Always Choose Chip figured the front end speed was going to fail. While it didn't totally collapse, it did enough where he was able to drift on past and notch the length over Beautiful Lights while Always Be City (Denny Bucceri) was third.
Co-owned by Kyle Cummings and Matthew Miller, Always Choose Chip (Always A Virgin-Hanks Chip) is conditioned by Tammy Cummings. The win was the second score of the year for Always Choose Chip, now a winner of $17,015 USD in 2025 and $179,560 USD in her career.
Kyle Cummings finished the day with four driving wins with James McNeight Jr. and Joseph Chindano Jr. each getting a double. Tammy Cummings had three training victories.
Racing will continue on Friday, May 23 at 2:30 p.m. with a 12-race program. There's a $1,836 carryover in the Pick 5, which begins in the second race.
(With files from Buffalo Raceway)