In the New York Sires Stakes and Excelsior Series doubleheader action at Buffalo Raceway on Wednesday, June 25, setting the pace was the best way to get to the winner's circle.
The lone exception came in the $163,973 division for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings, where Fadeaway Hanover ($5.60) and driver Jim Morrill Jr. stormed from off the pace to collar BJMs Lil Man (Tyler Buter) by a length in 1:57.
Leaving from post seven, BJMs Lil Man was hustled to the lead and set fractions of :29.1, :57.4, and 1:27.3. He looked strong turning for home but couldn’t withstand the late surge from pocket-sitter Fadeaway Hanover. Seven Layer (Niko Karna) rounded out the top three.
Owned by Benoit Baillargeon, Santo Vena, and Nunzio Vena, Fadeaway Hanover (Chapter Seven–Fad Finance) is trained by Sara Baillargeon. The win was his fourth in 12 seasonal starts, boosting his 2025 earnings to $144,024 and his career total to $147,744.
The three-year-old trotting fillies competed in a pair of $78,082 divisions, and both winners impressed with front-running scores, each driven to victory by Tyler Buter.
Inn Of The Stars ($3.90) had things her way in the first split, leading gate-to-wire through splits of :29.1, :58.1, and 1:28.1 before cruising to a three-length victory in 1:58 over Michelons Titan (Jason Bartlett). Always A Story (Kevin Cummings) finished third.
Trained by John Butenschoen for Bay Pond Racing, Inn Of The Stars (Chapter Seven–Mets Inn) notched her first win in five seasonal starts, improving her 2025 bankroll to $62,072 and her career total to $203,263.
In the second filly division, My Debt Collector ($2.20) continued her stellar season with a 1:57.3 score—her fifth win in eight starts. After cutting fractions of :29.3, :58.4, and 1:28.2, she kicked home strongly to win by 1-1/4 lengths over KJ Title (Kevin Cummings), with Barn Angel (Drew Monti) taking third.
Trained by R. Nifty Norman and co-owned by David McDuffee, Melvin Hartman, and Little E LLC, My Debt Collector (Chapter Seven–Magic Presto) now boasts $237,086 in 2025 earnings and $569,661 lifetime.
In the $27,397 Excelsior Series divisions for trotters, front-end control proved unstoppable.
Among the colts and geldings, Banksy Monkey (Jeff Gregory) took the first of two splits with a commanding 2-3/4 length win in 1:57.2, returning $6.20. Doctor Strange (John Stark Jr.) captured the second with a 2:01 mile, also paying $6.20.
In the filly division, Sister Lo (Drew Monti) delivered a gate-to-wire score in 1:59.2 to claim the $26,027 purse.
Live racing resumes Friday, June 27, at Buffalo Raceway with a 14-race card beginning at 2:30 p.m.
(With files from Buffalo Raceway: photo of Fadeaway Hanover winning on June 25)