Northfield, OH — The 14-year-old pacing gelding Bourbans Best scored in his final race Thursday (Dec. 30) at MGM Northfield Park.

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

The 14-year-old Bourbans Best led his opponents at every call. Casalinova Photography.

Bourbans Best (Pro Bono Best–Mattachevitz) scored from post two (after a scratch to his inside) in the evening’s $6,000 claiming event for a purse of $5,800. He led his opponents 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 was heavily favored in the race and 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 15 different racing surfaces.

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