Congratulations to Virginia-Sired Mr. Buff who reached millionaire status February 22 when he captured his third straight stakes race at Aqueduct. Prior to winning the Haynesfield Stakes, he prevailed in the Jazil and Alex M. Robb Stakes. Mr. Buff is by Friend of Foe, who stands at Smallwood Farm in Crozet. The 6-year-old gelding, a New York-bred owned by Chester and Mary Broman, has earned $1,051,536 from 36 starts. He has 14 wins, six runner-ups and four third place finishes.
The following article appeared in The Paulick Report:
Mr. Buff handled a cutback to a one-turn mile with ease Feb. 22, besting four New York-breds by an astonishing 20 lengths on his way to becoming a millionaire in the $101,775 Haynesfield Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Trained by John Kimmel, the Chester and Mary Broman homebred broke sharply from his inside post under regular rider Junior Alvarado and led the strung-out field with Syndergaard right at his throatlatch through an opening quarter-mile in :23.22 on a fast main track. Around the far turn, through a half-mile in :45.76, Mr. Buff extended his advantage as Syndergaard began to falter, with Honor Up making up ground.
Virginia-Sired Mr. Buff wins his third straight stakes race Feb. 22 at Aqueduct. Photo provided by NYRA.
At the quarter-pole, Alvarado gave the 17.2-hand wonder a few shakes of the reins, and he opened a wide margin before gearing down at the wire, finishing in 1:36.22.
Honor Up finished second, a length ahead of Syndergaard. Twisted Tom and Fleet Irish rounded out the order of finish.
Mr. Buff was cutting back in distance from a repeat win in the 1 1/8-mile Jazi Stakes Jan. 25.
Alvarado, who has been aboard the 6-year-old gelding for three of the jockey’s four stakes wins this meet, said he wanted his mount to be as sharp as possible out of the gate.
“Just because it’s a mile race, I was going to get out of there gunning,” Alvarado said. “I was going to go no matter what (post) position I was in at the beginning.
“Coming from a mile-and-an-eighth race, I didn’t want him to fall into a slow rhythm at the beginning. I just wanted to make sure I got him sharp out of there. He’s such a cool horse and knows what to do. You just nudge him a little out the gate, and he knew what he was supposed to do.
Mr. Buff, by Friend or Foe, breaks his maiden at Belmont on September 23, 2016. Photo by Adam Coglianese.
“At the quarter-pole, I asked him a little, and he took off again. He gave me the extra kick. He’s just a fast horse. It’s simple.”
Kimmel was highly impressed with what he saw out of Mr. Buff, who won his eighth stakes race and pushed his earnings to $1,051,536.
“He really put that group away easily. I don’t know what the speed figures will be, but he was geared down right to the wire. I haven’t seen a mile race run in 1:36 in a while,” Kimmel said.
Video: Haynesfield S. (BT)