Strong showing from Cummings

HAMBURG, N.Y. — The Fourth Of July is a little more than a week away but 20-year-old harness racing driver Kyle Cummings started the fireworks early at Buffalo Raceway on Wednesday evening (June 23).

Those faithful backers of Cummings were rewarded handsomely as he steered home four winners, all bombs, to highlight the 11-race program. It was the first ‘grand slam’ of his young career.

He kicked off the evening by guiding Candy’s Desire to a $33.20 victory in the first race and that was just a hint of things to come. Cummings followed that up with a $84.00 win aboard Sleepin In The Sun in the third race and then took Needlecrest to the winner’s circle in the fifth with a $38.80 score. To cap the night off, Cummings drove JK Kissntell to a $9.20 decision in the tenth race.

Cummings added a second and two third place finishes on the night and also had a pair of winners as an owner.

Kyle’s mother, Tammy Cummings, kept things in the family by collecting three training victories while Kevin Cummings, Kyle’s uncle, had a double in the bike

The wins in the second and fifth events by Cummings threw a big monkey wrench into the Pick 5 feature, thus putting a $4,000 guaranteed pool on Saturday night’s program, beginning in the second race.

In the $11,300 Class A Open Handicapped Pace for the fillies and mares, Protect Blue Chip (Jim Morrill Jr.) was able to ‘protect’ her front end position the entire mile and hold off the late charge from Lady Dudette (Kyle Cummings) by a head in a seasonal best of 1:55.4.

After a skirmish to the lead with Lady Dudette at the start, Protect Blue Chip ($4.20) was able to post solid fractions of :28.2, :57.3 and 1:27.1. It was a two horse break away down the home stretch with Protect Blue Chip managing to cling to the lead hitting the wire. Lady Dudette was a tough luck second while Xenia’s Chip (Drew Monti) took the show position.

Co-owned by the Vogel & Wags Nags Stable, Team Rice Racing and Adelphi Bloodstock, Protect Blue Chip (American Ideal-Lucky Turn) is trained by Maria Rice. The victory jacked the 6-year-old mare’s earnings to $28,740 and $156,105 lifetime.

Racing will continue on Saturday evening at 6 p.m. with a 13-race program set.

For full race results, click here.

by Brian J. Mazurek, for Buffalo Raceway