It was another racing day at Buffalo Raceway on Wednesday night (July 11), and there was another track record broken. Amal Hall ($3.20) did the honours this time with a hard-fought neck victory in her $36,000 (approx.) division of New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) for two-year-old trotting fillies.
Amal Hall (Andy Miller) went the mile in 1:59, blowing away the previous mark of 2:00 set last season by Plunge Blue Chip. It was the tenth track record either broken or tied at Buffalo Raceway in 2018.
Miller swept the NYSS early double, as he guided With Out A Doubt ($3.70) to victory in 2:00.4 while Safe Word ($5.10) captured the final bracket with a 4-3/4 length decision in 2:01 with Jeff Gregory in the bike.
In the opener, Quincy Blue Chip (Jim Morrill Jr.) set the pace while Sensibility (Scott Zeron) and Amal Hall tucked into second and third respectively. Approaching the three-quarter marker, Miller tipped Amal Hall first-over and began to chip into the lead turning for home.
Eventually, Amal Hall wore down the pace-setting Quincy Blue Chip and managed to stick a neck in front at the wire for the win. Sensibility took the show position.
"When I pulled her out, she kept going faster and faster," Miller said of Amal Hall. "I am happy with her performance. She's a nice filly."
Co-owned by the Andy Miller Stable, the Getty Stable and the Dumain Haven Farm, Amal Hall (Credit Winner-Arabella Hall) is trained by Julie Miller. The win was the second in three tries this season for Amal Hall, who pushed her earnings to $47,058.
Miller made it two straight as he used the passing lane to give With Out A Doubt a three-quarter length score over Gobi Princess (Zeron) and Exotic Diamond (Morrill).
Summermusicchapter (Dan Daley) set the tempo with splits of :30, 1:01.1 and 1:31.2, but was under siege as the field turned for home. With Out A Doubt dropped to the open stretch and was the quickest in the dash to the wire.
Co-owned by Ross Bonafield, Robert McCarthy and James Moran, With Out A Doubt (Conway Hall-Queen Of More) is trained by Erv Miller. The win was the first in three attempts for With Out A Doubt, now a winner of $29,140.
The final division was a stroll for Safe Word, as she went right to the lead and never looked back in a solid 4-3/4 length triumph over Liquorstoreblues (Morrill). Its My Party (Sam Schillaci) took the show position.
Safe Word posted splits of :30.3, 1:01.4 and 1:32 and had no threats in cruising to the finish line.
Owned by driver-trainer Gregory, William Richardson, Martin Garey and Henry Wieseneck, Safe Word (Credit Winner-Fifty Shades) has now posted two wins in three starts, earning $44,321.
Miller finished the night with three wins, as he also drove Song Chapter ($5.00) to a 2:04 victory in a $15,000 division of the Excelsior A Series. Barn Tease ($5.10) took the other leg as Claude Huckabone Jr. steered her to the decision in 2:03.2.
In the $6,600 Excelsior B events, Ms O'Reilly ($12.60) took her race for Gregory with a 2:04.4 mark while Morganslovin Dream (Daley) trotted the mile in 2:04.2 and returned $5.10 in the victory.
Racing will continue on Friday night (July 13) at 5:00 p.m. with a 10-race program scheduled.
For more information, including the latest news, upcoming promotions, simulcast schedule, race replays, results and entries, go to www.buffaloraceway.com.
(Buffalo Raceway)