Buffalo: American Mercury Takes NYSS Win on Wednesday

American Mercury ($6.50) overcame the outside post to start the race then overwhelmed Major March in the stretch to collect the victory in the $118,800 New York Sire Stakes event for the 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers at Buffalo Raceway on Wednesday night (June 5).

Covering the mile in 1:52 4/5, in was the second straight NYSS victory for American Mercury.

"It's a steep hill to climb from the eight post here at Buffalo," Buter said after the race. "I left hard with him but when things straightened up, I let the leaders soften each other up."

Starting from the outside, American Mercury was able to use some early speed and drop into fourth heading up the backstretch the first time. Major March, Melodies Major and Price Hanover showed no mercy toward each other as they battled for early control.

With a smoking opening panel of 26 4/5 put up by Major March (Jason Bartlett), American Mercury went first over and was able to come to even terms with the pace-setter at the three-quarter pole in 1:24 1/5. In the meantime, the remaining six entrants found those splits too hot and started to retreat.

It boiled down to a match race in the stretch as American Mercury was just too strong for Major March and never looked back in scoring the 1-3/4-length win. Reigning Deo (Jim Morrill Jr), the 2-year-old NYSS champion, was third 10-1/4 lengths behind.

Trained by Chris Oakes and co-owned by Crawford Farms, Northfork Racing Stable, C. Pompey and S. Bice, it was the third win in fourth tries this season for American Mercury (American Ideal-Tessa Hanover). The gelding has now earned $105,050 this season and $142,670 lifetime.

There were two $15,000 divisions of the Excelsior A Series. Buter drove Quake Blue Chip ($3.00) to the opening bracket triumph with a neck score over Murrow Boy (Bartlett) in 1:55 3/5. Buter made it a sweep at this level with a half-length win aboard Rickybobbynthehaus ($4.10). They beat the front-stepping Rollonhighway (Morrill Jr.) in 1:56 3/5.

The $6,600 Excelsior B Series race saw McNulty Z Tam (Pat Lachance) register a head victory over Dancing To Heaven (Shawn McDonough) in 1:57 3/5 and return $2.50 to his backers.

Buter and Billy Davis Jr. completed the evening with triples while Oakes had three training victories and Sabrina Clevenger two.

Racing will resume on Friday evening at 5 p.m. with a 12-race card slated.

-edited release (Brian Mazurek for Buffalo)