Shine All The Way scored by three lengths with a track-record mile in the $21,000 Open Handicap Trot to give driver Dave McNeight III a co-feature win to go with four more on the Saturday, June 27 card at Buffalo Raceway.
After finishing second in two consecutive tries in the Open, Shine All The Way had his things his own way from the outset Saturday, firing off the gate early and taking command from the two post. Setting the fractions of :29, :59.1 and 1:27.2, Shine All The Way turned for home with a length lead and increased that advantage to three lengths at the wire. El Toro Loco (Kyle Cummings) and The Governor (Mike Whelan) were second and third, respectively.
The mile by Shine All The Way tied the aged gelding trotting mark at Buffalo Raceway also held by Fox Valley Veto and Valentine Express.
Shine All The Way took his fourth victory from 19 starts this year for trainer Dakota Jackson and owner Jason Seymour. The nine-year-old son of Dontyouforgetit-Heres Holly is now 34-for-170 lifetime with $515,219 in earnings. He paid $7.68 to win.
McNeight's other winners on the 13-race card were Davey Day Trader ($3.62), Handsoffmytitos ($14.12), Woodmere Rollnpop ($3.64) and Dontcallmefrancis ($9.60). The driver has won 70 of 469 starts this year and is fourth in the Buffalo standings.
In the $21,000 Open Pace, Lip Reader A ($3.04) returned to the top rank and proved the step up in class wasn't an issue as he took a neck win over Trente Deo in 1:53.1. Lip Reader A (Drew Monti) used the inside post and cut the mile with splits of :27.2, :55.2 and 1:24.1. Trente Deo (McNeight III) slowly cut into the margin of Lip Reader A down the lane but ran out of real estate, coming up a neck short at the finish line as the pacesetter hung on. Captain Paradise (Shawn McDonough) was third.
Co-owned by Vogel & Wags Nags LLC and Team Rice Racing LLC, Lip Reader A is conditioned by Maria Rice. The victory was the fifth in 15 attempts in 2026 for the Sportswriter-Strike Line gelding. The 12-year-old is now 49-for-185 lifetime and has a bankroll of $469,981.
Brett MacDonald had three victories and Drew Monti two. Jackson topped the trainers with a couple of wins.
Racing will resume at Buffalo on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. with a 12-race program scheduled. The New York Sire Stakes returns with the two-year-old colt-and-gelding trotters in action with an eight-pack to battle for $110,200 USD. There is also a $20,000 USD Excelsior Series event for the freshmen male sidewinders.
(With files from Buffalo Raceway)