Metro Matty saved her best for last as she cruised to a solid 2-3/4-length victory over Defiant Lady in the first of two $51,500 divisions of the New York Sire Stakes for the two-year-old trotting fillies at Buffalo Raceway on Wednesday afternoon (July 6).
Metro Matty, after tucking in behind the early leader Defiant Lady, fired to the front just before the opening panel and set splits of :30.3 and 1:02.1 over the "fast" track.
The back half saw driver Drew Monti step on the gas with Metro Matty as they covered the remaining distance in :59.3 with a :28.4 final quarter. She left Defiant Lady and Seven Bridges Road in her wake and they had to settle for second and third-place honours.
Owned by the Bay Pond Racing Stable and trained by John Butenschoen, it was the second win in three starts for Metro Matty (Mets Hall-Order By Matilda). The victory improved her seasonal and career earnings to $32,250. She paid $2.80 to win.
El Mission Goddess, after breaking in her lone career start, was on her best behavior this time and took her $51,500 division.
The favoured Crazy Lovin showed the way with fractions of :30, 1:00.2 and 1:32, but had El Mission Goddess drafting along in the pocket.
With the pair in a two-horse breakaway heading into the lane, El Mission Goddess swung to the outside and trotted past Crazy Lovin, who could do nothing but watch in vain as the victor coasted to a 2-1/4-length win in 2:01.4. Nice Top Line collected the show spot.
Trained by Tom Corelli, El Mission Goddess (E L Titan-Athenas Mission) notched her first victory in two career tries, pocketing $25,750 for the victory. Jim Marohn Jr. drove the $5.90 winner.
Cross Creek Samara is now a perfect two-for-two in her brief career with 1-3/4 length score over Jigger Of Gin in the first $15,000 division of the Excelsior "A" series. Cross Creek Samara covered the mile in 2:01.2 and returned $3.30 for the victory in rein to Brian Cross.
Crazy Beach captured the second split by beating the favoured Pat Way by three-quarter lengths in 2:03.3. Crazy Beach returned $10.80 in the mild upset with Shawn McDonough in the bike.
In the non-betting $6,200 Excelsior "B" contest, Mets Girl got the first-place check with a two-length score over Devious Miss. Kyle Cummings drove the winner.
Justin Irvine and Denny Bucceri each had two victories on the day with Ryan Swift and Gregory Johnson conditioning a pair of winners.
Racing continues on Friday afternoon (July 8) at 1:30 p.m. (EDT) with a 12-race card scheduled. There's an $881 carryover in the Pick 5, which begins in the second race.
(Buffalo Raceway)