Early season streaker Bucktober got back to his winning ways on Sunday evening (Oct. 8), defeating the popular mare Power And Grace in the $11,000 Preferred Trot at Flamboro Downs.
Bucktober prevailed off a ground-saving trip, finding open road from mid-pack off the final turn in the four-path and beating the pylon-skimming 1-5 shot, Power And Grace, to the line by three-quarters of a length for the 1:59 victory. Parked for the entrie mile, Lilys Lass edged out pacesetter Rosies War Bond (:28.1, :58, 1:28.2) and the oncoming The Fixer for third prize.
Driver Tyler Borth co-owns the four-year-old gelding with William Borth and Karen Sparling.
Bucktober, who went on an eight-race winning streak at Western Fair early this year, is now upto 11 wins on the season from 19 races, with Sunday's score his first in two starts this month for trainer Katie MacNeil since returning to action off a three-month layoff. He paid $11.70 to win as the 9-2 second choice.
Lifetime, the son of Flanagan Memory has put together a record reading 18-1-5 from 39 starts and is closing in on $100,000 in earnings.
Another Autumn Series got underway on Sunday, this one for Ontario-sired two and three-year-old pacing colts that were non-winners of $10,000 lifetime as of Sept. 30.
The first of three $8,500 divisions was won by Hank The Hunk, who went from last to first during the final lap to pin a 44-1 upset on favourite Ifucouldreadmymind and Nova Scotia Strong. Sent to post as the longest shot on the board, the three-year-old Shadow Play gelding broke his maiden in his seventh start in 1:58.1 with Larry Small working out the winning trip for trainer Jay Cochlin and owner Joyce Jones.
The favourites delivered in the other splits, with 6-5 rookie Dancelike Ehskippr and Scott Coulter duelling past the front-striding three-year-old, Money On The Beach, for the 1:57.4 score by less than a length, with Dance On The Moon completing the top three. Paul Coulter trains the Dali colt, who is now three-for-four to start his career, for owners Emma, Georgia and Avery Longstreet.
Sent off as the 3-2 bettors' choice, two-year-old The Sports Desk, driven by Scott Young, took the lead after the first quarter and held off the passing lane plunge of ID Imagine by a nose at the end of their 1:59.2 mile, with D A Lunchbox just a half-length back in third. Trainer Paul Reid shares ownership of the Sportswriter gelding, who broke his maiden in his eighth start, with Patrick Dillon, Richard Beinhauer and Brian Kleinberg.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Flamboro Downs.
(Photo of Bucktober in a previous win at The Raceway at Western Fair District)