Ill Drink To That demolished his rivals in the $56,000 first division of the New York Sire Stakes for three-year-old colt and gelding pacers at Buffalo Raceway on Wednesday evening (June 9).
Driven by Jim Morrill Jr., Ill Drink To That ($2.50) easily beat Bottle Rocket (Mike Whelan) by 5-1/4 lengths in 1:53.1 over a fast track. King James Express (Matt Kakaley), the two-year-old New York Sire Stakes champion, took third place.
Ill Drink To That had to tussle with No Schmo Joe and Bottle Rocket to see who was going to set the splits. When the dust had settled, Ill Drink To That was able to win that scrum. It also proved to be the beginning of the end for the rest of the field. After putting up fractions of :27.3, :55.3 and 1:24, I'll Drink To That opened up a five-length lead at the top of the stretch and ended up winning by a throttled down 5-1/4 lengths.
It was the third victory in five starts this year for Chris Ryder trainee Ill Drink To That. The son of American Ideal and Margarita Monday has now produced $52,237 in winnings this season and $113,391 in his brief career.
In the $57,000 second division, Stop Staring ($14.40, Mark MacDonald) roared past Southwind Petyr (Marcus Miller) in deep stretch to win by a head in a lifetime best of 1:53.3. Mullinax (Morrill) was able to grab the show spot.
"He's a nice little guy and loves the half-mile tracks, trains on them, so we figured he'd have no problems here," MacDonald said of Stop Staring. "The horse won his last two at Yonkers and is a lot better than what the program shows."
It seemed like the favoured Southwind Petyr was in control in the lane, but Stop Staring came barreling three-wide down the stretch to take the lead in the shadow of the finish line.
A So Surreal-Paramelons Hanover gelding co-owned by trainer Ray Schnittker with Theodore Gewertz, Steven Arnold and Paul Bordogna, Stop Staring earned his third win in seven tries on the season. The victory jacked his 2021 earnings to $53,175 and $91,658 lifetime.
In the first of two $15,000 Excelsior A paces, Surrealin (Kakaley) beat Idealthecards by a length in 1:57.3.
Owned by the Purple Haze Stables, LLC and trained by Paul Kelley, Surrealin (So Surreal-Dune In Red) earned his second win in three attempts this season. The gelding has now put $12,900 in the bank this year and $18,120 in his career.
The Purple Haze Stable, Kelley and Kakaley connections took the second division as Icangogo ($5.40) defeated Bullville Jonathan (Morrill Jr.) by a length in 1:55.4. It was the first lifetime win for Icangogo after six previous starts. The decision pushed his season winnings to $12,900 and $15,900 lifetime.
In the lone $6,500 Excelsior B event, KJ Michael Gary (Kakaley) registered a three-quarter-length score over Americanexpression (Leon Bailey) in 1:57.3. The victory was worth $6.30 to his backers.
Kakaley enjoyed his night at Buffalo Raceway with four trips to the winner's circle while Ray Fisher Jr. and Kyle Cummings had doubles. Kelley, Ryan Swift and Tammy Cummings each posted two training victories.
Racing will return on Friday evening (June 11) at 5 p.m. with a nine-race card scheduled.
For more information, including the latest news, race replays, entries and results, go to www.buffaloraceway.com.
(Buffalo Raceway)