Make My Deo ($4.68) was able to make driver Drew Monti's day on Saturday afternoon (June 6) at Buffalo Raceway as he rallied from six lengths down with a quarter mile to pace to give Monti his 3,000th driving victory of his career.
Monti, who is from Depew, N.Y., splits time driving on the Western New York circuit and at Plainridge Park in Massachusetts. The 31-year-old currently leads the driving colony at Buffalo Raceway with 92 wins and nearly $700,000 USD in purse earnings. He is the defending champion at both Buffalo Raceway and Batavia Downs in 2025.
The countdown to 3,000 came after the sixth race as Monti steered Pro Beach to a neck win in wire-to-wire fashion. Sitting just one victory shy of the magical mark, Monti had four chances to get that win in front of family and the hometown fans before he was able to break through for the score in the 11th race as Make My Deo seemed to be on a mission to allow it to happen.
The $20,417 Open Pace and Trot events were contested and both were repeat winners from last week and both came from well off the pace.
Lanjo Lee ($3.74) was behind by 6-1/2 lengths at one point but got into high gear and eventually tossed aside Marvellous Mac A (Monti) by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:54, equalling his seasonal best. Total Stranger (Wade Tomaszewski) was third.
Driven by Kyle Cummings, Lanjo Lee (So Surreal-My Drag Queen) has now produced three victories in 13 starts on the year for trainer Tammy Cummings and owner Gordon Swift. The decision moved his seasonal bankroll to $62,451 and to $471,917 lifetime.
Makes Me Charlie ($25.36) went from last to first and toppled Starlitcresentroll (Tomaszewski) by a head in a seasonal best 1:58 in the top trotting feature. Buttinski (Monti) was able to collect the third place check.
Driven by James McNeight Jr. and owned by trainer Margaret Butler and Amy Butler, Makes Me Charlie (Mets Hall-Makes Me Crazy) has now been victorious in three straight races, including two Opens. The win brought his 2026 earnings to $31,149 and to $169,810 in his career.
Kevin Cummings showed the way on the afternoon with four victories including a $122 bomb aboard Cumulus BB in the 14th race. David McNeight III had a pair of scores along with the previously mentioned Monti.
Racing will resume on Wednesday (June 10) afternoon at 2:30 p.m. with a 15-race program set. The New York Sire Stakes returns once again as eight filly pacers will square off in the sixth race for $121,800 USD. There will also be three $20,000 USD Excelsior Series paces for the gals. There's $660 carryover in the Pick 5 which begins in the second race.
(Buffalo Raceway)