October 14, 2023
By Frank Cotolo for Ontario Racing
MILTON, October 14, 2023 – In a division with no dominating horse this season, Ghostly Casper, driven by Tyler Borth, was much the best winning the $300,000 three-year-old colt and gelding trot Gold Series Super Final on Saturday at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
The 1:53 winning mile was a personal best for the Resolve-Cool Creek Breeze colt.
Co-owner Santo Veno said, "We've had nothing but bad luck with him. He should have won a lot more races. In the Super Final last year he got interfered with and in the Hambletonian he got interfered with so this is really nice."
Ghostly Casper's mild upset came about well after four foes left the gate with heat. Hasty Bid, Osceola, Tuscan Prince, and Musical Ride negotiated a three-deep start resulting in Tuscan Prince taking the lead in a :26.4 first quarter and The Hazelton making a break to be eliminated while trying to keep up.
Tuscan Prince was challenged when Osceola took to the outside but did not clear. That duel kept the top three on their toes through a :55 half.
Ghostly Casper saved ground as the field clocked three-quarters in 1:23.4. Then Borth fired his colt and was full of trot while Osceola gave in to Tuscan Prince and Musical Ride shook loose.
Tyler said when he saw what was developing going into the final turn, "I knew the race was setting up really good."
Ghostly Casper roared down the stretch and opened up to secure the win over Tuscan Prince and a fancy closing 92-1 Musical Ride.
He paid $12.30 to win.
Benoit Baillargeon trains Ghostly Casper who won his fourth race in 16 starts this season and spiked his earnings to $619,179.
Baillargeon, Teresa Davidson, Santo and Nunzio Veno of Ontario own the colt. Diane Ingham and Harry Rutherford bred the colt.
Tyler, who picked up the drive on Ghostly Casper three starts back, said, "He's a pleasure to drive and I can't say enough good things about him. He does anything that you want."
It was the richest race Tyler Borth won so far in his driving career. "It's awesome," he said. "If you'd have asked me this time last year if I'd be standing here with you right now I would have told you that you were crazy."
In the first of Tyler’s three drives on the colt he took off early with the colt leaving from the nine hole but did not show early speed in this race.
He said taking back this time was not intentional. "I was planning on getting him out of there a little bit but he just didn't get off the gate. He felt like he didn't quite have his feet under him so I wasn't happy where I was during the first turn."
Santo said, "Tyler's been driving him amazing. He suits the horse perfect."
Complete results from Saturday’s Super Finals are available here and replays can be viewed on the Woodbine Mohawk Park YouTube channel.
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