Fillies shine in NYSS at Buffalo Raceway

HAMBURG, N.Y. — Sister Mary Maude (Crazy Wow-Perfect Mass) showed that her win on Sunday was no fluke as she bounced right back on Wednesday (Jun. 28) to take an eight length harness racing win in her $35,200 division of the New York Sire Stakes for 2-year-old filly trotters at Buffalo Raceway.

In a tune up before her Sire Stakes event in Western New York, Sister Mary Maude posted a 1-1/4 length decision in 2:01 on Sunday afternoon at Saratoga Raceway, paying a healthy $74.50. While she wasn’t the fastest on Wednesday, Sister Mary Maude was certainly the most dominating in getting the $10.20 victory.

Other winners in the two $35,200 (approximate) dashes were Communion Money (Crazy Wow-Paya La Renta) and Crowbar Girl (Chapter Seven-Miss Trixton).

Sister Mary Maude, the only filly to have already broken her maiden, showed that a little bit of experience paid big dividends, after watching Demin N Diamonds stomp out splits of :31.2 and 1:03.4 to the half, Sister Mary Maude (Bruce Euto) tipped out and scurried quickly to the lead.

Reaching the three quarter marker in 1:34.0, Sister Mary Maude threw down a :28.4 last split to bury the field in a dialed down 2:02.4 over the fast track. Denim N Diamonds (Phil Fluet) took the distant second place honors with Hippie Shake (Jim Morrill Jr.) finishing in third.

Now a winner twice in three lifetime starts, Sister Mary Maude has earned $22,646 for co-owners Shirley Williamson and Helena Archer.

In the fastest race of the three NYSS events, Communion Money (Scott Zeron) took command at the three quarter marker then had to hold on late to collect a neck victory over Dutee Chand S (Tyler Miller) in 2:00.3. Hurrikane Sweetie (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) picked up the show check.

Communion Money was sitting third, seven lengths behind Shirin at the half. But a slow and steady grind on the outside got her to the lead at the top of the lane as Shirin bobbled and broke stride.

But Communion Money, who appeared to have clear sailing, had actually brought Dutee Chand S along with her first over journey. Things worked out fine as Dutee Chand S ran out of real estate and had to settle for second.

Co-owned by trainer Jared Bako and Ann Yurenka, Communion Money earned $17,950 for the win. She paid $6.00 to win.

The final bracket had Crowbar Girl (Wrenn Jr.) go first over at the opening station and never looked back in notching a 3-1/2 length score over Meepers (Brett Crawford) in 2:01.4. The early tempo setting Really Don’t Care (Zeron) picked up the show spot.

After an opening frame of :31.3 posted by Really Don’t Care, Crowbar Girl wanted no more of the three hole and went on the rim. Registering times of 1:02. and 1:32.3 with a quarter mile to go, Crowbar Girl used a :29.1 last panel to lock up the triumph.

Co-owned by the Burke Racing Stable, William Switala, James Martin and Weaver Bruscemi, Crowbar Girl is trained by Ron Burke. She paid $4.60 to win.

In two of the three $20,000 Excelsior Series races, Champain ($2.40) was victorious for driver Michael McGivern in 2:05.4 while Barn Cj ($7.80) found there’s no place like home as the locally based filly cruised around Buffalo in 2:01.3.

The last three races on the card, including the final $20,000 Excelsior dash, were cancelled for the safety of all participants as the Air Quality Index had exceeded safe levels.

Despite the abbreviated card, driver Kevin Cummings captured four races and Zeron a pair.

For complete race results, click here.

by Brian J. Mazurek, for Buffalo Raceway