Preferred sweep for Borth

Harness racing driver Tyler Borth captured both harness racing Preferreds at The Raceway at the Western Fair District on Tuesday (Jan. 9).

The Raceway’s 2023 leading driver teamed up again with his regular drive, Bucktober (Flanagan Memory), in the Preferred Trot. The track’s 2023 Aged Trotting Horse of the Year hiked two-wide through the first turn to take the lead before the quarter in :29.1. His reign went unopposed to the half in 1:00.1, but Jayport Hi Class (Greg Dustin) launched a first-up mission approaching that point and moved into range of the leader as they straightened onto the backstretch.

Jayport Hi Class and Bucktober exchanged blows to three-quarters in 1:30 and reached that station on nearly level terms. Bucktober clawed back a half-length advanteage on the final turn and put Jayport Hi Class away as entered the lane. Marvin Hagler charged late off cover, but Bucktober sealed the victory with a length-and-a-quarter margin in 2:00.3.

Marvin Hagler, winner of the prior week’s Preferred, was second. Heavy Dude E (Ryan DesRoche) finished third.

BUCKTOBER REPLAY

Bucktober reached a career haul of 20 with the victory. He won 12 for 26 starts in 2023 to earned the award for The Raceway’s Aged Trotting Horse of the Year. Katie MacNeil trains the gelding, who has now earned $115,978 in 48 starts. Borth co-owns him with William Borth of Ingersoll and Karen Sparling of Thamesford.

In the Fillies and Mares Preferred, Borth oversaw a wire-to-wire victory from Arizona (Up The Credit). The mare carved out :28.4, :58, and 1:27.1 panels and neutralized her two closest rivals down the stretch to score by two lengths in 1:57.4. Wildcat Delight (Brett MacDonald) nailed So Frisky (Colin Kelly) on the wire for second.

ARIZONA REPLAY

Arizona, trained by Mike Timpano for Wendy Timpano of Campbellville and Herman Bardoel of Ingersoll, is now 20-for-42 lifetime with $122,820 in earnings. The mare was making her seasonal debut on Tuesday.

Borth won four races on the card and is 12-for-68 starts so far in 2024.

The Raceway at the Western Fair Raceway resumes racing on Wednesday, Jan. 10 at 5:50 p.m. EST.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink