Buffalo Raceway: Hitman Hill smashes track record in New York Sire Stakes score

No 3-year-old has ever toured Buffalo Raceway faster than Hitman Hill did on Sunday in New York Sire Stakes action for sophomore pacing males as he zipped around the half-mile oval in 1:51 4/5.

Racing in the second $39,200 division, Hitman Hill (Brett Miller) took a tuck into third from the outside post six and waited there through opening-half fractions of 27 4/5 and 56 3/5. Miller guided his charge first-up nearing the 1:24 3/5 three-quarters, he would take command in the lane, and edged clear to win by a length and a quarter over a passing lane-rallying Topville Olympian (James MacDonald). Pace-setter Rockapelo (Jim Morrill Jr.) was third.

The clocking lowered the existing track record for a 3-year-old gelding pacer of 1:53 1/5 that had belonged to Missile J since 2016, and it was also nearly a second faster than Steelhead Hanover's track record for a colt (1:52 3/5).

Chris Oakes trains Hitman Hill, a gelding by American Ideal, for owner Tom Hill. This was Hitman Hill's eighth career win, and he has now earned $262,403. He was the 1-9 favorite and paid $2.30 to win.

Oakes would also win the final $39,200 flight with Art Rooney champion Trump Nation (Jason Bartlett). Trump Nation landed on the engine past the 28 1/5 opening quarter, and he would go on to reach the half in 57 2/5 and the three-quarters in 1:26 3/5. Pocket-sitter Real Surreal (MacDonald) came to the outside just past three-quarters and battled with Trump Nation in the final quarter, but he couldn't get by, as Trump Nation held sway by three-parts of a length in 1:54. Major Authority (Morrill Jr.) took third.

Crawford Farms Racing and Evan Katz own the winner, a Betterthancheddar colt. Trump Nation is now a seven-time winner in his life, and he ran his bankroll to $259,656. He was the 1-2 favorite and returned $3.00 to win.

Fresh off winning a Meadowlands Pace elimination last night with Courtly Choice, trainer Blake MacIntosh won the day's first $38,500 split with Rootin Tootin (Morrill Jr.). He followed from the two-hole as My Delight (Scott Zeron) chopped out fractions of 28, 57 2/5, and 1:26 1/5, then slipped up the passing lane in the stretch to get up and win by three-quarters of a length in 1:53 4/5. Twin B Tuffenuff (Miller) was the runner-up from first-over, with My Delight settling for third.

Rootin Tootin is a colt by Roll With Joe, and he is owned by Blake MacIntosh, Stuart MacIntosh, Fred Brayford, and Robert MacNeil. Rootin Tootin made his eighth appearance in the winner's circle, and he has now put away $132,291. He was the 2-5 public choice and paid $2.90 to win.