Bucktober hits double digits in London upset

Bucktober (Flanagan Memory) won for the 10th time this harness racing season and lowered his lifetime mark as he captured the Preferred Handicap Trot at The Raceway at the Western Fair District on Wednesday (May 3).

Tyler Borth slotted the gelding in third behind the pacesetting heavy favourite Power And Grace (Brett MacDonald) and pocket-sitter Andy Over (Ed Hensley). Power And Grace cut :28.4 and :58.2 splits in the first half and was unchallenged to three-quarters in 1:27.3.

Bucktober slid to the outside with frantic urging from Borth as the field raced towards the final turn. He trotted stronger than the leader around the bend but still had work to do entering the stretch with Power And Grace a length up on top. But Bucktober was stronger home, and the gelding stormed past him late to take the victory in a new career-best time of 1:57.4.

Power And Grace was three-quarters-of-a-length back in second. Andy Over finished third.

BUCKTOBER REPLAY

The winner returned $16.10 despite nine prior wins this season and one in the Preferred two starts prior. He is now 10-for-14 in 2023 and has 17 wins in 34 lifetime outings with $90,848 in earnings. Borth trains and co-owns the four-year-old with his father William Borth of Ingersoll and mother Karen Sparling of Thamesford. The family-owned gelding won eight straight earlier in the year.

Shoot The Whiskey (Shadow Play, Travis Cullen) convincingly captured the card’s Fillies and Mares Preferred Handicap. From the trailing post eight, she started sixth but rocketed up first-over and took the lead just past five-eighths. She cleared going into the final turn and raced home to score by three-and-a-quarter lengths in 1:55.4. Must Be Nice (Borth) passed Saulsbrook Jessie (MacDonald) late for second.

SHOOT THE WHISKEY REPLAY

The victory was Shoot The Whiskey’s first of the season and first in Ontario. The mare was a stakes winner in western Canada at two and three with victories in the Penny Bath Memorial, Mary Murphy Final, and the Fraser Miss Open. She shifted to Ontario between February and April and was third by a nose at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Apr. 15 in her debut in the province. Overall, she has 13 wins and $195,067 in earnings from 30 lifetime starts. Jodie Cullen trains the four-year-old for Paul Sanders of Surrey, J J J Stables of Prince George, and Travis Cullen.

The Raceway at the Western Fair District will continue racing on Friday, May 5 at 5:50 p.m. EDT.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink