Buffalo Raceway presented three features on the Friday afternoon, July 5 program and all were won by the post time favourites and in gate-to-wire fashion.
In the $12,329 Class B trotting events, Worth A Whisper ($3.80) led every step of the way in beating Hellrider by 2-3/4 lengths while later on the card, Jacked ($3.90) proved to be much the best in toppling Rough Tough Tested by 3-3/4 lengths. The $12,329 Class B Pace had the closest finish of the three events as RD Skippy ($6.10) held on for a neck triumph over Confidence Man.
It was a great day for driver Kyle Swift as the 19-year-old reinsman drove four winners, giving him 61 on the season. He swept both the co-featured trotting races.
Worth A Whisper wasted little time from the rail and posted splits of :30.1, 1:01.1 and 1:30.2. Turning for home, Hellrider (Mike Caprio) was the main danger but couldn't catch Worth A Whisper (Swift), who won in 1:59.1. Classic Sunny (Kevin Cummings) was third.
The win was the fourth in 20 starts on the season for the eight-year-old Worth A Whisper (Wishing Stone-Mariko Hanover), who is owned by Thomas and Diane Wescott and trained by Thomas Mays. The victory pushed his seasonal earnings to $33,889 and lifetime bankroll to $198,895.
In the second bracket, Jacked (Swift) stomped out splits of :29.2, :58.3 and 1:28.3 then easily rolled to a 1:57.4 clocking. He ruined the hopes of Rough Tough Tested (James McNeight Jr.), who took second-place honours while Walters Keepsake (David McNeight III) was third.
Owned by Vogel & Wags Nags LLC and trained by Maria Rice, Jacked (Muscle Mass-Krafty) has now produced three wins on the year in 19 attempts. The victory jumped his 2024 bankroll to $44,533 and lifetime earnings to $164,576.
RD Skippy (Kevin Cummings) was able to beat a late-closing Confidence Man (Shawn McDonough) by a neck in 1:55.3 over the fast track. With fractions of :28.3, :58.2 and 1:27.2 in the books, RD Skippy had to stay strong until the wire, taking the score over Confidence Man. Century Grizzly (McNeight III) took the show position.
RD Skipp made his fourth trip to the winner's circle on the season from 16 starts. The six-year-old RD Skippy (Sneaky B Skipalong-Art In Motion) is owned by Franklin Meier and conditioned by Angelo Nappo. The win jumped his earnings to $29,683 on the campaign and $173,529 for his career.
Cummings had a driving double on the card while Nappo and Jim Graham each posted two training wins.
Racing will resume on Saturday evening at 6 p.m. with 12 races slated.
(With files from Buffalo Raceway; Photo of Jacked winning on July 5)