Western Alumni, a five-year-old Western Hanover gelding, won the $11,000 Open Pace in a season’s best 1:54.2 at Buffalo Raceway on Saturday night (July 6).
The win was the fifth in this year for Western Alumni, who has been knocking at the door in Open company.
Western Alumni ($13.80), driven by reinsman Ray Fisher Jr., took the lead from post two and set all the fractions in the race of :28.2, :57.1, and 1:25.3 to the three-quarter pole. A :28.4 last quarter-mile put the winner one and a quarter lengths ahead of second-place finisher What the Sheik (Shawn McDonough) at the wire. Naked News (Jim McNeight) came in third.
The $5,500 winner's share of the purse put Western Alumni’s seasonal earnings at $38,420 and lifetime bankroll at $123,994. He is trained by Jerry Nugent Jr. for owner Tammy Lonkey of Angola, New York.
Sportsman ($9.40), owned and driven by John Cummings Jr., recorded the fastest pacing mile of the meet, blistering around the Hamburg oval in 1:53.2 for trainer Megan Wilson. Cummings put the eight-year-old son of Camluck on the lead and he took no prisoners en route to his fourth win of the year in 16 attempts. The winning time was a season’s best for the gelding.
(With files from Buffalo Raceway)