Fourteen-year-old Bourbans Best scored in his final race at MGM Northfield Park.

As the calendar will be turning to 2022 Bourbans Best will be forced into retirement per the rules of the United States Trotting Association because every race horse turns a year older each January 1.

Bourbans Best (Pro Bono Best–Mattachevitz) left from post two in the evening’s $6,000 claiming event. He led his competition at every call through fractions of :27.4, :57.2, 1:26.2 and 1:55.4, beating his competition by 1-1/2 lengths. He paid $2.20 to win.

The classy veteran leaves racing with 472 career starts resulting in 58 wins, 62 seconds and 62 third-place finishes. Bourbans Best has career earnings of $337,864 with a lifetime mark of 1:52, taken at Northfield at age 12.

The gelding’s richest win was for a purse of $14,000 in a Late Closing Series final at Northfield in 2019. Bourbans Best is a well-traveled campaigner as his 472 starts have been spread across 12 different racing surfaces.

Ashley Burke of Mount Vernon, Ohio owns and trains Bourbans Best. Chris Lems drove the racing stalwart in his career finale.

(Northfield Park)