Buffalo: Successful 2025 comes to an end

"It was another successful season," stated Buffalo Raceway General Manager Jon Cramer as he looked back on the 2025 live racing season that was completed on Sunday afternoon (July 20).

"The racing was excellent with some great purses that brought in horses," Cramer added. "Racing Secretary Tom Agosti drew up some competitive races, Dave Dylo had the track ready to go and the horsemen and bettors showed they enjoyed the product."

It took most of the year, but one new track record was set and another one was equaled during the last week of the meet.

AI was the lone horse to break a track barrier as he cruised to a 1:58 1/5 time in the $106,400 New York Sire Stakes for 2-year-old male trotters. Driven by Yannick Gingras, AI broke the previous standard of 1:58 3/5 for the 2-year-old colts set by Money MacIntosh back on July 13, 2016.

Valentine Express equaled the track record for aged (5+) gelding trotters with a time of 1:56 on July 18 in the Open Trot, tying the mark established by Fox Valley Veto on July 20, 2018.

Before Saturday's program, Buffalo Raceway announced its award winners for the 2025 season.

Drew Monti was selected Driver of the Meet as the 30-year-old won his first driving title at Buffalo Raceway since 2018. While finishing in the top five several since then, Monti finally recaptured the top spot in the driver's colony this season with 122 victories, topping Joe Chindano Jr. and Kevin Cummings.

Since June 1, Monti really kicked it into high gear as he posted 50 wins to pull away from his nearest rivals. Hailing from Depew, N.Y., he has won at a 20 percent clip on the season and was in the money 50 percent of the time, amassing nearly $968,000 in purse earnings.

For the third year in a row, the Trainer of the Meet was captured by Samuel Smith. His first title at Buffalo Raceway came in 2023 as he collected 49 victories and followed that up in 2024 with 62 wins. He finished with 57 victories on the year with nearly $470,000 in purse earnings.

The Trotter of the Meet went to the 5-year-old gelding Big Baller Beane (Father Patrick-Global Desire). This 5-year-old gelding sired by Father Patrick out of Global Desire, won four times in 21 starts, mainly against Open competition and from outside posts. Co-owned by Kathy Schoeffel of Evans City, PA, James Reuther of East Aurora, N.Y. and Roger Romesser of Arcade N.Y., Big Baller Beane earned over $57,000 on the year and finished in the money 11 times. He also had a seasonal best of 1:56 3/5 for trainer Angelo Nappo.

Davy Day Trader (Western Terror-Gigi Deo) was selected as the Pacer of the Meet. He posted a seasonal best of 1:53, racing mainly in the Open Paces. He won five times in 13 attempts on the season and finished in the money three other times. Davy Day Trader, who is conditioned by David McNeight Jr. and driven by David McNeight III, won over $45,000. He is owned by James Costa of Clarence Center, N.Y. and Pete Kibler of West Seneca, N.Y.

The inside post won the most times on the season with 112 victories coming from there in 698 starts for a win percentage of 25.5. The one post also finished in the money 63.3 percent of the time.

Mary Kat had the most victories on the season as the pacer scored nine times in 18 attempts, earning $61,318. Valentine Express topped the trotters with the most wins, six, and earned $47,877 along with equaling a track record.

The post time favorites scored at a 43.55 clip in 2025.

A total of 57 different drivers appeared at Buffalo Raceway in 2025 with 22 not registering a victory. A total of 99 different trainers had at least one winner on the season.

Live racing is expected to return in March of 2026. The simulcast center is now closed for the remainder of the year and is anticipated to reopen in February of 2026.

-edited release (By Brian J. Mazurek for Buffalo)