Western Alumni got a perfect pocket-sitting trip from driver Jim McNeight and notched a surprising $46.40 victory in 1:54.2 over a fast track in the $10,500 Open Pace at Buffalo Raceway on Saturday night (May 23).
With the field shortened to five due to the scratch of Jokerman, Western Alumni tried to take the top from outside. The heavily favoured and rail-riding Cobble Beach, however, was ready and willing to hand out some parking tickets.
Western Alumni was throttled down and managed to find a seat in the garden spot just before the quarter-pole as Cobble Beach (Kevin Cummings) was in charge of the fractions with times of :28.1, :57 and 1:26.
With a final panel to go, Western Alumni tipped from the outside and managed to wear down second-place finisher Cobble Beach by a length in 1:54.2. Rockstar Temper (Drew Monti) took the show spot.
Owned by North Creek Racing LLC and trained by Jerry Nugent Jr., Western Alumni (Western Hanover-Countryview Miss) now has three victories in 2015. Saturdays score moved the seven-year-old gelding's earnings to $24,226 this year and $233,729 lifetime.
In the $9,500 Open II Pace, Lucky Nadotremblay ($4.10) found the front end to his liking as he went gate-to-wire in 1:54.3.
Scoring from the rail, Lucky Nadotremblay (Jack Flanigen) had no issues getting the lead and posted times of :28.3, :58 and 1:26.3. There was a line of pacers ready for the stretch drive, but Lucky Nadotremblay had an extra gear and held the remaining field of four at bay. Unicorn Hanover (Shawn McDonough) managed to get up for the place spot one and a quarter length back with Peenie (Shawn Gray) in third.
Co-owned by Paul and Ronald Louis Viele, Lucky Nadotremblay (Blissfull Hall-Periella Hanover) now has four wins on the campaign and $31,990 in the bank. The five-year-old horse also has made $99,860 in his career.
Racing resumes on Wednesday night at Buffalo Raceway with a 13-race card scheduled for 5 p.m. The New York Sire Stakes makes its first appearance of the season on Wednesday with thethree3-year-old colt and gelding pacers set to square off in three divisions worth $39,000 each. There will also be several Excelsior Series events on tap as well in both the 'A' and 'B' classifications.
(With files from Buffalo Raceway)