Wildcat Abby Delivers Breakthrough Victory

Oak Grove, KY…May 11, 2026…Mother’s Day was a special day for O’Darius (OD) Johnson as the newly turned 20-year-old scored his first pari-mutuel harness racing win in the United States Harness Driving Club (USHDC) feature at Oak Grove Racing and Gaming on Sunday (May 10).

Johnson, a Meridian, MS native now residing in Forest, MS, accomplished his milestone win with the four-year-old mare Wildcat Abby (Captain Trevor) after a patient, hitting the wire in 1:54.2.

The winning margin was a length over the stout closing Real Amie, handled by Danarius Dortch, with the pacesetting Rainbow Design, driven by Peter Kleinhans, next.

Mistertenahkey, outside the entire route, finished fourth under the guidance of Jalen Gray, with So I Like It Dirty, picking up the nickel for Jawaunva Nash.

As the wings folded, Kleinhans zipped off the wings with Rainbow Design and that one clicked off colorful fractions of :27 and :55 with Wildcat Abby in the garden spot and Dontinvitemein, driven by Donricus Blackman, hung out to dry like wet laundry.

On the backside 3/8ths from home, the patience of Johnson began to pay dividends as he zipped out of the cozy pocket to take charge past the third station in 1:25.1 before coasting home the comfortable winner.

WILDCAT ABBEY REPLAY

After the event, Johnson lamented, “Wow! The winner’s circle…What a great place to be.

“This was a great trip for the mare as we were forced to be patient throughout with those quick early fractions.

“I knew she’d be good coming in ‘cause she won her last start in her best ever (1:52.2) and Mr. Trigg (trainer Roshun Trigg) had the confidence in me to get it done here with the inside post. 

“I didn’t think that the horse outside of me was going to stick around after a :55 half and when that one backed out of it, that gave me the chance to go to the outside and that was, kinda, that!

“My family and friends were the ones that encouraged my along the way—my mom, Arnita, and dad, Lee, always encouraged me along and guys like John Hughes, Jalen Gray and Zyler Maxwell, too.

‘Mr. Hughes taught me so much and Jalen and Zyler, well, we used to race horses over the dirt roads.

“They are like brothers to me!”

Wildcat Abby is trained by Trigg for owner Timothy Williams and returned $2.88 as the 2 to 5 tote-board favorite.

The win was the third in eight starts this semester for Wildcat Abby and vaulted her lifetime earnings to $188,087.

The USHDC is in its 30th season of making charitable contributions to worthy 501-(C)-3 organizations benefiting community, county and national interests, made possible by the generosity of its members that donate 100% of their driver earnings in these races to their causes.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by John Berry, for USHDC