Vel Mr Nice Guy pounds rivals in co-feature

HAMBURG, N.Y. — Vel Mr Nice Guy (Straight Shooting-She Can Dance) wasn’t very nice to his harness racing competition in Buffalo Raceway’s $14,000 Open Pace on Saturday night (May 18) as he pounded the field into submission with a 3-3/4 length victory over Lip Reader A in 1:53. over the fast track.

In the co-featured $14,000 Open Trot, Power And Grace ($3.30) displayed both power and grace in registering a length score over Crazy Ritz in 1:57.3.

Vel Mr Nice Guy wasted little time in getting to the lead off the starting gate. Posting splits of :28.4, :57.3 and 1:25.1, Vel Mr Nice Guy and driver Joseph Chindano Jr. then started to hear the footsteps from the first over Davey Day Trader and the pocket sitting Six Degrees. But those threats just inspired Vel Mr Nice Guy to do more.

Turning for home with a 2-1/4 length edge, there was little question who the best was on this night as Vel Mr Nice Guy used a final panel of :28.1 to squash the hopes of Lip Reader A (Drew Monti) and Six Degrees who had to settle for second and third place respectively.

Owned by Jeff Savidge Racing LLC and trained by Maggie Chindano, it was the fifth victory in 14 starts on the season for the 6-year-old Vel Mr Nice Guy. The win upped his 2024 bankroll to $37,475 and $244,505 lifetime. He paid $10.40 to win.

In the top trotting event, the field was scratched down to six as Lougazi was under the weather and was excused from the event.

Power And Grace (Holiday Road-Mark Of Honour) and driver Drew Monti had little issue in grabbing early command and used her power to get fractions of :28.4, :59.2 and 1:28.2.

With heads turning for home, Power And Grace was graceful as ever and had no problems in holding back the late push from Crazy Ritz (James McNeight Jr.) who came up a length short. Valentine Express (Dan Yetman) rallied in deep stretch to grab third place honors.

Owned by Hartel Maintenance Inc., Lormer McClure, Brett MacDonald and Reg Higgs, Power And Grace is trained by Ron MacDonald. The 9-year-old mare has produced $46,249 in winnings on the campaign and $426,702 in her career.

Racing will resume on Wednesday afternoon starting at 2:30 p.m. with a 12-race program slated. There is a $548 carryover in the Pick 5 which begins in the second race.

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by Brian J. Mazurek, for Buffalo Raceway