Power And Grace is the “dominating damsel”

HAMBURG, N.Y. — Power And Grace (Holiday Road-Mark Of Honour) continues to be a dominating damsel at Buffalo Raceway as she rolled to her seventh harness racing victory of the season with a 1-1/2 length win over Crazy Ritz in the featured $14,000 Open Trot on Friday afternoon (May 31). She covered the mile distance in a seasonal best of 1:56.3 over the fast track.

With the field scratched down to five with the dismissal of Con Air Hall, Power And Grace grabbed the early advantage and that was the beginning of the end for the other four competitors.

Stomping out fractions of :28.4, :58.1 and 1:28.0, Power And Grace (Drew Monti) was bracing for the mounting charges around the final turn from the first over Crazy Ritz (Jim McNeight Jr.) and Gracious Triumph (Jim Morrill Jr.). But those rallies failed to materialize as Power And Grace smoothly trotted home to take the victory. Crazy Ritz held on for second while Gracious Triumph picked up the show spot.

Owned by Hartel Maintenance Inc., Lormer McClure, Brett MacDonald and Reg Higgs, the 9-year-old mare Power And Grace has produced $53,249 in 2024 and $433,702 lifetime. She paid $5.00 to win.

It was the third and final week of qualifiers in the Spring Up Series for trotters who were non winners of $12,500 (fillies and mares $15,000) and having 10 or more starts before May 13.

Morrill Jr. swept both divisions as Heavens Fury ($4.10) made it two straight wins in the Series with a half a length nod over Pennant Seelster in 2:00.2. Caviar’s Yankee ($3.30) is now a perfect 3-for-3 in the competition as he defeated Jumpinthejailhouse by 1-1/4 lengths in 2:00.0.

Kyle Swift and Morrill Jr. completed the matinee program with three victories apiece with David McNeight III getting a double. Mihajlo Zdjedar Jr. conditioned a pair of winners.

Racing returns on Saturday evening at 6 p.m. with 11 races set to go to the post.

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 by Brian J. Mazurek, for Buffalo Raceway