AI ($2.90) broke a long-standing Buffalo Raceway track record for two-year-old trotting colts on Wednesday, July 16 with a hard-fought half-length victory over Titans Mischief in the lone $145,753 New York Sire Stakes dash for his division.
Covering the mile in a lifetime best of 1:58.1 over the fast track on a muggy afternoon, AI erased the old standard of 1:58.4 established on July 13, 2016 by Money MacIntosh. The victory for AI also kept him undefeated in his young career with all three decisions coming in the NYSS.
Titans Mischief (Matt Kakaley) did a lot of the heavy lifting in the race, stomping out fractions of :30.1, 1:00.2, and 1:30.1. But AI (Yannick Gingras) stayed glued to the pocket behind Titans Mischief and made winning his move turning for home. It looked like a match was developing between the two, but AI shifted into another gear in mid-stretch and rolled past Titans Mischief in a :28 final stanza. Angry Pete (John Stark Jr.) took the show position.
Trained by Ron Burke and owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Hatfield Stables, and Knox Services Inc., AI (Chapter Seven-Image Of Bee) has now produced $160,806 in winnings in just three career efforts.
In the $27,397 Excelsior Series race, also for rookie trotting males, Dws Cha Ching ($8.90) inherited the early lead due to breaking horses and never looked back in completing a 9-1/2-length romp over stablemate Goog Eyes in 2:01.
It was a matter of survival in the early going as the heavily-favoured June From Dunoon (Kakaley) tried to step out to the front but broke stride around the first turn along with Stinger (Stark) and Herecomesdasheriff (Jim McNeight Jr.). Dws Cha Ching (Phil Fluet) got an early jump on the field by the quarter pole in :30.2 and took full advantage of it, coasting through 1:00.2 and 1:31.2 splits en route to victory. Goog Eyes (Jim Morrill Jr.) did manage to get alongside Dws Cha Ching just before the half-mile station but lost contact after that and had to hold back the eventual challenge from Dress Shoes (Drew Monti) for second place honours. Dress Shoes finished third.
Owned by Donald LaPage and conditioned by Fluet, the win was the first in two tries for Dws Cha Ching (Devious Man-Yankeedoodlecandy). The victory increased the bankroll for Dws Cha Ching to $16,941 in his brief career.
The final weekend of live racing at Buffalo Raceway begins on Friday afternoon with a 12-race card set for 2:30 p.m. There's a $799 carryover in the Pick 5 which begins in the second race. Action will then continue on Saturday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. with the season concluding with a special Sunday edition beginning at noon.
(Buffalo Raceway)