Black Is Back was golden in Buffalo Raceway's $13,000 Open Pace on Saturday night (June 5) by convincingly topping Endeavors Pride by two-and-a-quarter lengths in a seasonal best of 1:54.4 over the "fast" track.
After relinquishing the lead briefly to Mr Ham Sandwich at the start, Black Is Back regained the advantage and secured reasonable fractions of :28.4, :58.3 and 1:26.4.
Turning for home, the first-over Endeavors Pride made a brief and mild bid, but Black Is Back was much too tough and paced home for the solid victory. Endeavors Pride held on for second while Saulsbrook Deputy finished in third.
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Co-owned by Curtis Edholm and Mihajlo Zdjelar Sr. and trained by Mihajlo Zdjelar Jr., it was the second trip to the winner's circle in seven attempts for Black Is Back. The eight-year-old gelding now has a bankroll of $17,650 in 2021 and $306,626 in his career. Shawn McDonough drove the $3.10 winner.
The heavily-favoured Sir Pugsley didn't mess around and romped to a one-and-a-half length nod over Santana Beach in the $11,500 Class AA Pace. It was the second-straight win for Sir Pugsley at Buffalo Raceway and his third in four appearances on the Western New York circuit.
Posting times of :29.2, :58 and 1:26.4, Sir Pugsley squashed any hopes the remaining four entrants had of winning by cruising home with a :27.2 final quarter. Santana Beach was second while Noahs Mill took home the show check.
Conditioned by Rose Russo and owned by Robert Woodburn, it was the fourth victory in 17 attempts on the campaign for Sir Pugsley (American Ideal-Q And A). The seven-year-old horse has bankrolled $27,726 in 2021 and $398,569 in his life. Drew Monti drove the $2.70 winner.
R J P made it four-straight victories, three consecutive in wire-to-wire fashion, by taking the $10,500 Class A Pace in a seasonal best 1:55. He beat Dojea Solo by a half length while The Lunch Pail rounded the top three.
Zooming to the lead from the start, R J P went fractions of :29.4, :58.3 and 1:27 and had plenty of gas left in the tank to hold off Dojea Solo and The Lunch Pail.
Trained by James Clouser Jr., the seven-year-old gelded R J P (Somebeachsomewhere-Vysoke Tatry) has won five of 15 starts this season, producing $27,376 in earnings on the season and $347,615 lifetime. Denny Bucceri drove the $5.80 winner.
Monti led the drivers with three victories while Bucceri and Kyle Cummings had doubles. Tammy Cummings produced two training victories.
Racing will continue on Wednesday evening (June 9) at 5 p.m. (EDT) with a 13-race card scheduled. The New York Sire Stakes arrives at the Hamburg half mile oval with the three-year-old pacing colts and geldings battling in the second and third races. There will also be a pair of Excelsior A events and an Excelsior B race.
(Buffalo Raceway)