Buzz helped charge up the Flamboro Downs tote board on Thursday night (January 5). He spurned Post 9 and long odds and got up for a one and a half-length win in 1:59.4 during the evening’s feature race, the $7,500 Preferred 3 Trot.
Competing in his what was his fifth race since joining the stable of Amy MacDonald, Buzz, with Anthony MacDonald in the race bike, lined up in Post 9 and took a stalking approach early.
MacDonald and the five-year-old son of Kadabra raced in fifth as the opening quarter flashed to life in 29 seconds flat. The duo were charted in fifth once again at the :59.1 half-mile pole, but this time they were second-over following cover for a potential back-half assault on the front end.
It was Allies Gift (driven by Robert Shepherd) who was doing all the work on the engine. The pair had cut the front half and led the field to the three-quarters pole, which they clicked off in 1:29.1.
It wasn’t the warmest of nights on Thursday. The outdoor temperature had dipped to –10 Celsius by the time the race went off and the track was rated ‘fast,’ even though the judges rated the course one second slow.
Maybe it was the conditions, or maybe it was the front-end trip, but Allies Gift would soon succumb to the backfield pressure, as the brown mare was third by the time the head of the stretch was reached. Alacrity and driver Paul MacKenzie, who had raced third through the opening half, was first into the lane, but his lead was short lived.
Buzz, who had been racing three-wide at the three-quarters call, had excelled off his move. MacDonald had the gelding in gear and they snatched the lead from Alacrity in the final quarter. Buzz continued to trot away from his rivals and went on to post the one and a half-length victory in 1:59.4. Alacrity hung on for second and Winkys Pride (Scott Coulter) rounded out the top three.
Sent away at odds of 13-1, Buzz returned $28.50 on a $2 Win wager and topped both a $262.30 (9-2) exactor and a $1,284.40 (9-2-5) triactor.
The win marked Buzz’s first victory since July 11, 2016 and was the first for his new connections. Owners Anthony Macdonald (of Guelph, Ont.), Bruce Gaum (Toronto, Ont.), Shawn Brisebois (Grimsby, Ont.) and Terry Cameron (Lindsay, Ont.) acquired the gelding last November after he posted a victorious qualifying mile over Mohegan Sun Pocono.
In addition to Buzz, there were other impressive win payoffs during the card, as Ancastor Seelster ($42.40), Regal Attitude ($31.40), Dapple Apple ($30.30) and Moonbeam Hall ($19.80) each brought a smile to the faces of their backers.
To view the harness racing results for Thursday at Flamboro, click the following link: Thursday Results – Flamboro Downs.