Johnny Buckshot, under the guidance of Tyler Borth, clinched his maiden Preferred triumph on Tuesday (Feb. 27) at The Raceway at Western Fair District with a commanding harness racing performance.
Positioned strategically by Borth in the three-hole at the quarter mark in :29.1, Johnny Buckshot patiently waited as the frontrunners battled ahead. Maintaining a steady pace, the gelding held his position on the cones and hit the half-mile mark in :59. In a bold move on the third turn, Johnny Buckshot surged past So Not Cool, ridden by Samuel Fillion, on the backstretch.
Accelerating further, Johnny Buckshot widened the gap to three-quarters in 1:29, with Marvin Hagler, steered by Brett MacDonald, in close pursuit as they entered the home stretch. Demonstrating resilience, Johnny Buckshot surged ahead once more, surging clear by three-and-a-quarter lengths to clinch victory in 1:57.3.
Marvin Hagler clinched the runner-up spot, with Treasured Tee, guided by Mario Baillargeon, finishing third, trailing by six lengths.
This triumph marks Johnny Buckshot's consecutive victories. Trained by Katie Macneil, the gelding, who recently set a personal best in a seven-length win, showcased his prowess in the Preferred event. The five-year-old has amassed earnings of $79,056 and boasts an impressive record of 12 wins in 43 career starts, under the ownership of Brad Wilson from Camlachie.