Speed Pilot, a eight-year-old Cr Aviator gelding out of the Program Speed mare Devilish Speed, won the $9,000 Featured Open Trot for the second week in a row for owners Francis Rapone and Lou Buckley, at Buffalo Raceway Friday, May 29
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Driven by reinsman Tom Agosti, Speed Pilot ($8.10), who left from Post 3 in the field of seven, sat patiently in third as Anastasia Broadway (Troy Boring) cut the early fractions, :29.1 to the quarter, and :58.2 to the half. Agosti swung Speed Pilot to the outside and the duo hit the three-quarters with the lead in 1:29. A :30.3 last quarter-mile put the winner 1/2 length ahead of long shot Craiger (Rich Mays) at the finish line in 1:59.3. Cade Callihan (Ray Fisher, Jr.) came in third.
“He wasn’t as good this week as last week,” said Agosti. "He’s such a professional horse that even if he’s a bit off, he can still get the job done.”
Trained by Lou Rapone, Jr., it was the fifth win of year for Speed Pilot and the $4,500 share of the winning purse put his 2009 bankroll at $24,480 and $176,871 lifetime.
(Buffalo Raceway)