Osprey Vision ($23.60) was in focus during Buffalo Raceway's $8,200 co-featured trot on Friday night (July 14) as he went a lifetime best 1:57.1 over the fast track to produce a surprising victory over Serious George.
Lucky Pablo ($18.00) kept the upsets going in the other co-main event by breaking an 0-for-20 streak in 2017 with a head victory over Shawnee Magic in 1:59.3.
It was all Osprey Vision in the opener as David McNeight, III sent him right to the top. Establishing fractions of 28.3, 58.3 and 1:28, it appeared the only trotter to have a chance to catch Osprey Vision was Before I Die. But his hopes were quickly dashed as he broke stride, allowing Osprey Vision to hit the wire uncontested. Serious George (John Cummings, Jr.) was 3-1/4 lengths back and picked up the second place check, with Winkys Pride (Drew Monti) rolling into third.
Owned by Marissa Russo and trained by David Russo, the eight-year-old gelding Osprey Vision (Ken Warkentin-Summerhill Hallie) now has six wins in 24 starts on the year, pushing his seasonal earnings to $43,214 and $142,947 lifetime.
It was a real tussle in the second $8,200 trotting race with Shawnee Magic, Trotting R T, and City Kid all enjoying the front end before hitting the opening panel in 29.1. With Shawnee Magic (Kevin Cummings) hitting the half in 58.2, Lucky Pablo was sixth but first-over and on the move.
Grinding it out to the top in the stretch, Lucky Pablo (Monti) got up in the shadow of the wire to nip the favorued Shawnee Magic by a head, while a game City Kid (Larry Stalbaum) finished in third.
Lucky Pablo (Lucky Chucky-Classical Princess) is owned by Crawford Farms Racing and is trained by Maria Rice. The win moved the five-year-old gelding's winnings to $20,980 this year and to $97,317 in his career.
McNeight, Cummings, Stalbaum and Monti all produced doubles on the evening.
Racing will continue on Saturday (July 15) evening at 6 p.m. with an 11-race program.
(Buffalo Raceway)