It was the 'Tyler Buter Show' on Sunday night (May 5) at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, as the driver who recently hit the 3,000-win milestone put forth another strong performance.
Buter hit a 'grand slam' during the card and won the top four races, two on both gaits.
In the $17,500 featured trot, Buter got away fifth with the favoured Muscle Massive gelding Two Am, but the overland journey posed little problem for the career winner of $377,210 against a pacesetter who had been softened a bit by a contentious early duel. Two Am battled pacesetter Truemass Volo the last five-sixteenths of a mile, then drew away from that one to have a three-and-one-quarter length margin at the wire in 1:54.3 for trainer Todd Buter and owners Buter Farm Inc., Lynette Buter, and William and Carol Fuhs.
In the $17,000 co-featured trot, Rich And Miserable reported home first for the third time in his last four starts. The Explosive Matter gelding won easily in 1:56.2, moving from seventh early to first by the three-eighths, then remained in control to the wire for the same team behind Two Am: trainer Todd Buter and owners Buter Farm Inc., Lynette Buter, and William and Carol Fuhs.
The pacing headliners were a pair of $15,000 events, both going to Buter-driven sons of American Ideal; both Chris Oakes trainees with sparkling pedigrees making their 2019 debuts.
In the first, American Mercury was a 1:53 winner despite an adventurous trip. Briefly three-wide past the three-eighths on a determined move to the top nearing the half, American Mercury drew clear in the stretch to win by three lengths for the ownership of Crawford Farms Racing, Northfork Racing Stable, Chuck Pompey, and Scott Bice.
The other eye-catching Oakes-conditioned sophomore was Shake That House, a three-quarter-brother to Breeders Crown winner Split The House; both out of the mare Shake That Junk. From post eight Buter spotted him fifth, then moved him second over. When he tipped three wide midway on the far turn, the main question seemed to be the margin of victory. Although to his credit JMs Delight, who had been used three times in the mile, kept the margin to a length at the end of the 1:53.2 journey. Crawford Farms Racing and Northfork Racing Stable returned to partner with Alan Johnston behind this good-looking sophomore.
Winning the featured quartet gave Tyler Buter nine wins on the weekend–three Saturday afternoon, two Saturday night, and four Sunday–but even that total put him one behind Anthony Napolitano (four Saturday afternoon, four Saturday night, two Sunday) going into the last race of the weekend. Both were participants, but Anthony Napolitano got in the winners circle with Tigers Too Good, making the final weekend score Napolitano 11, Tyler 9–just at Pocono. Both made remarkable showings and between them they won 59% of all the races contested over the Saturday-Sunday period.
(with files from PHHA)