Lip Reader A silences the field at Buffalo

HAMBURG, N.Y. — The 10-year-old Lip Reader A (Sportswriter-Strike Line) hasn’t had much experience harness racing in the United States with just two pari mutuel starts since arriving from Australia. That inexperience didn’t matter at Buffalo Raceway on Saturday night (March 16) as he posted a career best 1:54 in winning the co-featured $14,000 Open Pace, beating Villiam by 2-3/4 lengths.

In the co-main event, the $14,000 Open Trot, Power And Grace ($3.20), the lone lady in the race, showed the boys how it was done in going gate to wire in 1:57.2. She beat HP Running Mass by 3-3/4 lengths.

Lip Reader A, with a victory at Yonkers on February 20 in her United States debut and a hard luck third place finish by three quarters of a length at Buffalo Raceway on March 2, was ready for battle against the top class pacers.

Villiam, starting from the rail, took early command with splits of :28.4, 58.0 and 1:26.1. Lip Reader A sat in fourth place and began the first over journey approaching the final marker. Turning for home, Lip Reader A (Drew Monti) started to pull away from Villiam (Joseph Chindano Jr.) and was clear by 2-3/4 at the wire. Umberto (David McNeight III) took the show position.

Owned by the Vogel & Wags Nags LLC, Team Rice Racing and Dr. Michael Miller and trained by Maria Rice, it was the second win in three tries in 2024 for Lip Reader A. The win upped his earnings to $16,668 on the season and $189,196 lifetime.

There was little suspense in the top trotting event as Power And Grace (Holiday Road-Mark Of Hanover) was just that, powerful and graceful in rolling to the easy win.

Firing off to the early lead, Power And Grace (Monti) collected splits of :29.3, :58.4 and 1:29.0.

In the lane, Power And Grace was home free with the only battle remaining was for the minor spoils. HP Running Mass (McNeight III) took those honors with Good Boy (Ray Fisher Jr.) settling for third.

Power And Grace, a 9-year-old mare, is owned by Harlet Maintenance Inc., Lormer McClure, Brett MacDonald and Reg Higgs. Trained by Ronald MacDonald, Power And Grace has now been victorious in four of eight starts in 2024, earning $23,000 and pushing her lifetime bankroll to $403,467.

Racing will resume on Wednesday afternoon with a 14-race card set for 2:30 p.m. There is a $1,655 carryover in the Pick 5 which starts in the second race.

For more information including the latest news, upcoming promotions, entries, results and race replays, go to www.buffaloraceway.com.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Brian J. Mazurek, for Buffalo Raceway