Gias Surreal (John Cummings Jr.) posted her first victory of the 2020 campaign with a 1-1/2 length win over Protect Blue Chip in Buffalo Raceway's $11,500 Fillies and Mares Open Pace on Wednesday night (June 17).
After earning nearly $100,000 last season as a three-year-old, Gias Surreal surely impressed in just her second start of the season.
Sitting third heading to the three-quarter marker, Gias Surreal ($15.20) went first-over, easily blew past pacesetter HP Sissy, and never looked back. Protect Blue Chip (Billy Davis Jr.) took second, with Lady London (Ray Fisher Jr.) rolling into the show spot.
Co-owned by trainer Jim Graham, Ed Peron, Lee Winters and Tom Mariano, Gias Surreal (So Surreal-Nancy Irene) has now put $158,191 in the bank lifetime.
Lucky Sheila avoided lots of traffic trouble due to breaking horses and overcame the outside post as well for a stunning $32.80 victory in the $10,000 Class A-B Handicap Trot.
With Teardown This Wall, Call My Broker, Too Much Man and Before I Die all jumping it off around the first turn to scatter the field, Rockefeller Lindy (David McNeight III) managed to stay the course on the pylons while Jim Morrill Jr. was able to take Lucky Sheila wide and drop into the gaping hole in second.
It was a two-horse break away for much of the race, with Rockefeller Lindy setting the splits of :29.1, :59 and 1:29.2. In the stretch, Lucky Sheila and Morrill Jr. popped the pocket and collared Rockefeller Lindy by a half length 1:59.1. Rockefeller Lindy held on for second, with State Ofmyhead AS (Ray Fisher Jr.) taking third.
It was the second win in five attempts for the fivee-year-old mare Lucky Sheila (Lucky Chucky-Carmita), who is owned by Vincenetta Speck and conditioned by Brittney Ohol. The win vaulted her 2020 earnings to $13,525 and $127,207 lifetime.
Little Joke ($3.50) used a front end journey to register a 1:55.4 victory in the $10,000 Fillies and Mares Class A-B Handicapped Pace.
Scoring from post 6, Davis had to work hard with Little Joke to get the front end, and the effort paid off.
After posting fractions of :28.1, :57 and 1:26.1, Little Joke was able to hold off The Bay Front (Morrill) by a half length. Blue Bell Bonnie (McNeight) was third.
It was the second win in five outings this season for Little Joke (Bettors Delight-Town Joke). The eight-year-old mare trained by Maria Rice for Vogel Wags Nags Stable, Team Rice Racing and Adelphi Bloodstock has upped her seasonal bankroll to $12,025 and $313,958 lifetime.
Davis completed the evening with five victories, while Morrill had three. Graham had a training double.
Racing will resume on Saturday evening (June 20) at 6 p.m. with a 13-race card scheduled.
For more information, including the latest news, race replays, entries and results, go to www.buffaloraceway.com.
(Buffalo Raceway)