The competition got tougher but that didn’t matter to Ugly Betty as she captured the featured $10,500 Fillies and Mares Open Pace at Buffalo Raceway on Wednesday night (March 5) in a seasonal best 1:58.1 over the fast track.

After winning impressively an $8,000 conditioned pace last week at Buffalo Raceway, Ugly Betty (Jack Flanigen) stepped up and tried her luck in the Open competition for the ladies this time.

No luck was needed.

Scoring from the two post, she won the battle for the lead and put up fractions of :29.2, :59 and 1:28.4. Ugly Betty left little doubt at the top of the lane. Enjoying a three-length lead at that point, she easily held off all challengers, posting a three and three-quarter length victory over Heavenly Place (David McNeight III). Honeybee Hershey (Kevin Cummings) finished in third.

The win was the third in five appearances in 2014 for Ugly Betty. She is owned by Margaret Payne and Jennifer Falcone and is trained by Dennis Dylo. The win pushed the six-year-old Camluck mare’s yearly earnings to $13,248 and lifetime bankroll to $123,509.

(With files from Buffalo Raceway)