Drivers Tyler Borth and Kyle Husted celebrated career milestones with victories in the opening leg of the Niagara Pacing Series on Friday night, Dec. 6 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Borth earned his 2,000th career driving win when he guided 1-9 favourite Mikki Sixx to a 7-1/2-length romp in the first of three $17,000 series divisions for three-year-old fillies.

The 32-year-old horseman from Ingersoll, Ont. set out for the lead from post four with Mikki Sixx and cleared to command after a :28.1 opening panel over the 'good' track. The half went in :57 and three-quarters in 1:25.4 before the unchallenged leaders drew off through the stretch to win easily in 1:54.1, with Space Cadebt (Mike Whelan) and Southwind Stratus (Austin Sorrie) rounding out the top three. 

A recent newcomer to the Susie Kerwood stable and a back-to-back winner for the barn, the lightly raced daughter of Always B Miki-Thecrowdiswatching is now seven-for-nine in her debut season for owners Frank Brundle of East Garafraxa, Ont., and Ryan Bender of Cookstown, Ont.

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After his milestone moment, Borth went right back out to win the next Niagara division in rein to even-money favourite Oh A Legend.

Borth settled Oh A Legend into fourth through a :28 contested opening quarter before sweeping to command. The popular pair landed on top at the half-mile marker in :57.3 and raced on to three-quarters in 1:26.3 while keeping the early leavers, Grit N Grace (Bob McClure) and Mother Mary (Louis-Philippe Roy), at bay en route to the 1:54.2 triumph by 1-3/4 lengths.

Borth drove the Bit Of A Legend N-O Narutac Rockette filly to her third straight win while she improved to five-for-20 lifetime. Oh A Legend is owned by trainer Chris Bush and Bernie Klacer, both of London, Ont.

Borth earned his first career driving win in 2012 at Western Fair Raceway with Region Hall, a trotter trained by his father Bill. The 2014 Future Star Award winner posted a career-high 414 wins last year, ranking second-best in the nation, and has put together back-to-back $4 million seasons since he started driving regularly at Mohawk after more than a decade competing successfully on Ontario's B track circuit. Among his growing list of achievements, he won the 2024 Ontario Regional Driving Championship and was runner-up in the National Driving Championship this past summer.

Illinois horseman Husted shipped in with recent acquisition Fox Valley Tessa targeting the Niagara Series and the 33-year-old reinsman scored his 1,000th career driving win in the final division.

Recent Illinois stakes champion Fox Valley Tessa, the 7-2 second choice, got the first call firing from post five for Husted and led to the quarter in :29.2 before even-money favourite Always B Merry (James MacDonald) looped them to take over the top spot for middle splits of :58.3 and 1:27.1. But Husted popped the pocket at the third quarter pole and Fox Valley Tessa battled past Always B Merry down the stretch for the one-length victory in 1:55.1. Kiera Seelster (Jonathan Drury) completed the top three order of finish.

The Time To Roll-Shes Da Bomb filly is trained by Husted's wife Amy and owned by their Husted Racing along with Illinois co-owners John Schwarz Jr. and Scott Rigg as well as Wilson Rigg of Texas. Fox Valley Tessa picked up her fourth career win from 21 starts.

Husted made his first trip to Canada this past spring for Grand Circuit stakes action. The Altamont, Illinois resident, who drove his first winner in 2006 on the Illinois fair circuit, is wrapping up a career-best season for earnings, having driven winners of more than $1.2 million.

The Niagara Series, which is for non-winners of $60,000 lifetime as of Oct. 31, 2024, continues next Friday, Dec. 13 with the $30,000 added final scheduled for Mohawk's Boxing Day card on Thursday, Dec. 26.

To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.

(Standardbred Canada)