Driver Samuel Fillion and trainer Tommy Riley were honoured as the meet leaders at Kawartha Downs as the 2024 harness racing season came to a close on Friday, Sept. 13.

Fillion was the leading driver at Kawartha Downs for the second straight season with 44 wins, double his nearest competitor. Reg Gassien (22) was second with Nicholas Boyd (18) taking third place. A 26-year-old reinsman from Mont-Joli, Que., Fillion is in the midst of a career-year and his third straight million-dollar season. With a total of 222 races won so far this year, the 2022 Future Star Award winner ranks among the top five drivers nationwide.

Riley's stable earned 31 wins for the 36-year-old Roseneath, Ont. horseman to secure his third consecutive training title at the Fraserville, Ont. oval with a commanding lead in the standings. Kyle Fellows was second with nine wins while Murray Brethour and Kevin Enman tied for third with seven wins each. Riley now has 52 wins overall this year, just six off his career-high set in 2023.

The win totals of the meet leaders included a pair on the season finale. As the have done so often during the meet, Fillion and Riley teamed up for a victory with Triple S Equine's trotter Shadrack Hanover ($2.10), who topped a 1-2 finish in the 1:55.4 second race for his conditioner after setting a trotting stallion track record at the end of May.

Fillion completed the meet with one final win in the fifth race in rein to the Brett Riley-trained claiming pacer Bettors Victory ($3.70) in 1:55.1.

Tommy Riley's final win was in the eighth race with the pacing mare Sweet Loving ($8.70) scoring in 1:54.1 with Jimmy Gagnon working out the successful trip. 

Kawartha Downs closed out the meet with approximately 3,000 people in attendance for Customer Appreciation Night and a Weiner Dog Derby in support of the Peterborough Humane Society during the nine-race card. The winner was Maisie, with Hudson finishing second Wednesday rounding out the top three.  

To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Kawartha Downs.

(Standardbred Canada; Photo of leading driver Samuel Fillion [left] and trainer Tommy Riley [right] with Kawartha Downs's Jim Huck)