The ink had hardly dried in the Buffalo Raceway record book but Double Class broke his own mark he set a week earlier for the four-year-old gelding trotters with a heart-stopping 1:56.1 head victory over the mare Power And Grace in the $19,178 Open I-II Handicapped Trot on Saturday evening, July 20.
Last Saturday, Double Class set the new record in that division with a 1:56.2 journey. He needed every moment this time as he toppled Power And Grace, who was selected the Trotter Of The Meet just a few minutes before post time.
Power And Grace (Drew Monti) rolled to the early advantage but a parked E Street (Kevin Cummings) took over the lead at the quarter pole in :28.2. Power And Grace wanted no part of the pocket and stormed back in front and collected fractions of :58 and 1:26.4.
In what probably will go down as one of the best races of the 2024 season at Buffalo Raceway, Double Class (Jim Morrill Jr.) and Power And Grace broke away from the field and went stride-for-stride down the stretch. Neither trotter was willing to give in an inch but Double Class had just enough of a final push approaching the wire to nip Power And Grace and set the new record. R Royal Port (Kyle Swift) took the show honours.
Owned and trained by James Clouser Jr., Double Class (Class Included-Double Ivory) has now earned $60,143 on the season with five victories in 21 appearances. He paid $11.40 to win.
In the $19,178 Open Pace, Blazing Light (Kyle Cummings) followed the pacesetting Davey Day Trader (James McNeight Jr.) before rallying down the 'lightning lane' to collect the length victory in 1:54.3.
Firing off the starting gate, Davey Day Trader set comfortable splits of :29.1, :58.2 and 1:26.3. But a wall of horses began to swoop in on Davey Day Trader. Blazing Light found clear sailing in the passing lane and cruised past Davey Day Trader with Scribblers (Drew Monti) taking third.
Owned by Kyle Cummings and conditioned by Tammy Cummings, the six-year-old gelded Blazing Light (Sweet Lou-Light Up) earned his third win of the season from nine starts. The victory pushed his 2024 bankroll to $34,378. He paid $16 to win.
Buffalo Raceway handed out awards on Saturday evening with Canadian-owned Power And Grace named the Trotter Of The Meet. The eight-year-old Holiday Road-Mark Of Honour mare is owned by Hartel Maintenance Inc., Lormer McClure, Brett MacDonald and Reg Higgs. Trained by Ronald MacDonald, she won six out of 15 races at Buffalo prior to Saturday, earning $75,360.
Egomania took home Pacer Of The Meet honours. After sweeping all three legs of the Spring Up Series, the David Russo trainee then captured the finals. Owned by Anthony Barone, Egomania won six of 14 attempts and had $64,741 in winnings.
Samuel Smith took home his second consecutive Trainer Of The Meet award after registering 59 wins through Friday and nearly $700,000 in purses.
Buffalo's final live racing program of 2024 comes on Sunday with seven races scheduled for noon. The simulcast center will close after the action on Sunday afternoon as well.
(With files from Buffalo Raceway)