Valorscross continued his impressive climb up the trotting ranks at Buffalo Raceway on Wednesday night (March 4) as the four-year-old gelding made it a perfect five-for-five on the season with a neck victory over Justgottogetthere in the featured $9,500 trot.
Arriving from Woodbine to start his 2015 campaign, Valorscross ($4.50) began the year at the $3,200 level at Buffalo Raceway and has passed every stiffer test along the way. Wednesday night was his biggest challenge yet, but he scored another A+.
After watching Northern Spark and Aruba Vacation battle it out to the quarter pole in :29.2, Valorscross (Kevin Cummings) could wait no more and took command and put up a time of 1:02 to the half and 1:30.4 to the three-quarter marker.
Justgottogetthere (Jim McNeight), in the meantime, started a first over trip to the three-quarter marker, bringing Armed Dangerously in tow to get within striking distance.
In the stretch, Justgottogetthere managed to poke a head in front, but the never-say-die Valorscross battled back to regain the lead and score the neck win in 2:00.2 over the sloppy track. Justgottogetthere finished second while Armed Dangerously (Jim Morrill Jr.) took third.
Valorscross (Comaro Dasolo-Poppea) is owned and bred by Guy Polillo of Brantford, Ont. and is trained by John Mungillo. The victory pushed his bankroll to $13,050 this season and $110,860 lifetime.
In the co-featured $8,700 Fillies and Mares Open II Pace, Justatequilatalkin (David McNeight III) rallied to put a head in front in the shadow of the wire and nip SA Lowe (Morrill Jr.) in 1:59.2.
The race was basically a three-horse break away with a quarter-mile to pace as Cameron Luck set the fractions. Justatequilatalkin and SA Lowe both stalked the pace throughout and made their moves in the stretch.
Cameron Luck (Kevin Cummings) checked out midway down the lane to finish third while SA Lowe went to the passing lane and Justatequilatalkin went to the outside to duke it out.
It was a ding-dong battle to the line and when the dust settled, it was Justatequilatalkin ($10.80) getting a head in front while the favoured SA Lowe had to settle for second.
Owned by the Limerick Racing Stable and trained by David McNeight Jr., it was the third straight victory for six-year-old mare Justatequilatalkin (Real Desire-Sausalito Cocktail) and moved her yearly winnings to $8,860.
It was a great night for Buffalo Raceway's leading driver Kevin Cummings as well as he registered seven victories on the program.
Racing will return at Buffalo Raceway on Friday night with a 13-race program set for a 6:35 p.m. post.
(With files from Buffalo Raceway)