The 'now horse' at Northside Downs is unquestionably four-year-old gelding Johnnie Jack, now a winner in five of last six starts after a solid score in the track's top class on Saturday (Oct. 2).

With driver Ryan Campbell once again at the controls, Johnnie Jack sprinted for command as the wings of the gate folded for the $1,600 Winners Over feature. The 3-5 favourite was able to clear in front of his five rivals and proceeded to carve out uncontested fractions of :28.2, :59.1 and 1:28.4. Turning for home, pocket-sitter Revenent (Adam Lynk) made a late bid but Johnnie Jack repelled that challenge and hit the line three parts of a length the best. The time of the mile was 1:57.3 with Revenant and Runaway Mystery (Harold Leblanc) rounding out the top trio.

Trained by owner Travis Campbell of Gardiner Mines, N.S., Johnnie Jack picked up his fourth straight win and eighth on the campaign. The son of Westwardho Hanover - Water Sprite now boasts 18 lifetime victories with earnings in excess of $22,000.

The card also featured two eliminations of the 2021 Celtic Financial Series, for horses that were non-winners $2,000 in 2021 as of Sept. 20, 2021 and had made a minimum of 10 starts.

Blacky Black was the fastest $1,250 elim winner, and the only horse on the day not to win in gate-to-wire fashion. Owner-trainer-driver Marin Bates angled Blacky Black out from the pocket heading into the final turn to haul down favoured Hot Rock Star (Roddy Gillis) and win by two lengths in 2:00. Sauble Bonnie (Ardon Mofford) and Whiskeys Fine (Gerard Kennedy) also advance to the Celtic Financial Series Final, slated for a special Thanksgiving card of harness racing on Monday, Oct. 11.

Burn Em Up Burr and driver Gerard Kennedy made good on their pari-mutuel promise in the second elimination, getting all the respect on the front end for an unstressed 2:02.1 score over Gotfaithincowboys (Bates), Dragon Teeth (Kevin Bailey) and Pictonian Speed (Mark Pezzarello). Kennedy owns and Heather Hawkins trains the 10-year-old son of Whosurboy - Armbro Bailey, now a 32-time career winner.

To view the results from the Saturday card at Northside Downs, click the following link: Saturday Results - Northside Downs.