Defending Champ American Fling Headlines First NYSS Leg

American Fling, the 2022 New York Sire Stakes champion for the two-year-old colt and gelding pacers, begins his march to the three-year-old title on Wednesday afternoon (June 7) with an encounter with five other rivals at Buffalo Raceway in a $58,100 division.

Last season, American Fling took the title with a victory by three-quarters of a length over Huntinthelastdollar in 1:50.3 at Tioga Downs on Sept. 10. There won't be a rematch of those top two finishers in the $200,000 finale, however, as Huntinthelastdollar drew into the other $58,100 division.

American Fling enjoyed his stop last season at Buffalo Raceway as he posted a length win over Its A Me Mario in 1:55.1, erasing the old mark of 1:56.1 set in 2021 by Pickup Man Hanover. American Fling collected winnings of $248,040 in 2022 and will face five others who have a combined earnings, including 2023 totals, of $220,669.

Jason Bartlett will guide the Edward Hart-trained American Fling (American Ideal-Feeling You) from the three post.

Metal Man (Matt Kakaley) arrives in Western New York on a two-race win streak at Yonkers Raceway while Human Cocktail (Jim Morrill Jr.) and The Good Doctor (Doug McNair) are each fresh off victories at Yonkers.

The remainder of the first division, set for the second race, includes Hound On The Beach (Luke Hanners) and Hurrikane Hunter (Billy Davis Jr.)

The second division is set for the seventh race and features Its A Me Mario (American Ideal-Nf Salsa), who finished second to American Fling in three consecutive Sire Stakes races in 2022. One of those runner-up finishes was at Buffalo Raceway.

Its A Me Mario failed to get a victory last season in five appearances but things have sure turned around in 2023 as he has been victorious in all four appearances, earning $34,000 in prep races leading up to the Sire Stakes. His best effort was a 1:53.3 score at Yonkers back on April 25. Its A Me Mario will be driven by Morrill Jr. from the five post.

The main competition should come from Huntinthelastdolar (Huntsville-Eighthundrdolarbill), who lost to American Fling by three-quarters lengths in the New York Sire Stakes final last year. It was a rough opening for Huntinthelastdolar (McNair) as he finished fifth but was placed ninth for interference in his only start this season, that at Woodbine. He did earn $186,904 in 2022 so improvement off his initial try of the season is expected.

The remainder of the field includes Peppermint (Man Kakaley), Twin B Kingston (Denny Bucceri), Duval Street (Bartlett) and Cash With Joe (Kevin Cummings), who have a combined two lifetime victories among them.

The Buffalo Raceway track record for the three-year-old male colts is 1:52.3 set way back in 2012 by Steelhead Hanover while Hitman Hill still claims the mark of 1:51.4 for the geldings established in 2018. With ideal weather conditions expected, those long-standing records could be on the line.

There will also be a trio of $20,000 Excelsior Series races on the 13-race program, which will begin at 2:30 p.m. There's a $2,760 carryover in the Pick 5, which starts in the second race.

(With files from Buffalo Raceway)