Just Plain Loco capitalizes on inside track

HAMBURG, N.Y. — After three consecutive races out of the seven post, Just Plain Loco (Well Said-Symphony In Motion, $5.00) got a rare start from the inside. He responded to the unique look of the pylons in favorable fashion as he wired the harness racing field in Buffalo Raceway’s $15,500 Open Pace on Saturday night (April 29).

Just Plain Loco beat Artillery Major by 1-3/4 lengths in a seasonal best 1:54.4 over the sloppy track while Tony Too Tall collected the show spot.

Buffalo Raceway officials called off the final three races on the program due to unsafe track conditions due to the rain.

Just Plain Loco (David McNeight III) let Tony Too Tall take the lead briefly heading to the opening panel but quickly zoomed back to the top, hitting the quarter in :28.4. From there, Just Plain Loco posted fractions of :57.4 and 1:26.4.

In the final split, Ideal Artillery came up on the outside and pulled within a length of Just Plain Loco but never got closer as the pace setter was in cruise control.

Co-owned by Paul Lang and Mark Toth and conditioned by Jennifer Giuliani, it was the third victory in six starts on the season for the 7-year-old gelded Just Plain Loco. The win moved his 2023 earnings to $36,458 and $433,903 in his career.

In the $13,500 Pace, Avion Seelster (Sportswriter-Aqua Rosa) went coast to coast and posted a popular and convincing $2.20 score for driver Jim Morrill Jr. in 1:55.1 over a track that was labeled good. Cultural Paradise (Dan Yetman) took second place honors with Sweet N Fast N (Kyle Cummings) rolled in for third.

Since arriving at Buffalo Raceway back on March 15, Avion Seelster has three wins, a pair of seconds and a third in his six outings.

Scoring from the three post, Avion Seelster wasted no time in racing to the top. He registered fractions of :28.2, :57.3 and 1:27.0. The times proved to be enough to keep the other seven entrants at bay for the entire mile as Avion Seelster notched the length decision.

Owned by Marissa Russo and trained by David Russo, it was the fourth win of the campaign for the 5-year-old gelded Avion Seelster. The triumph moved his seasonal bankroll to $37,372 and $193,435 lifetime.

Kyle Cummings, Morrill Jr. and James McNeight all had driving doubles on the abbreviated program while Jim McNeight had two training victories.

Racing will continue on Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. with an 11-race card scheduled.

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by Brian J. Mazurek, for Buffalo Raceway