“This might have been just a $3,000 claimer, but it was one of the most important wins of my life,” said Kawartha Downs’ leading driver Gord Brown moments after winning the race named in honour of his late father, Stan, Saturday night at the Fraserville, Ont. racetrack.

Brown won the race with Adventure Luck in 1:57.2. It was one of nine memorial races on the program, which paid tribute to several individuals who had tremendous impact on Kawartha Downs since it began 42 years ago. There were many other emotional moments and happy memories shared among the numerous family members on hand including the well known Hie family, who lost the highly respected horseman Roger Hie suddenly earlier this year.

Also honoured this evening were Charles Touchburn, an original shareholder and paddock judge, Guy LaRush, one of the best drivers ever at Kawartha, well known horseman Ron Luke, talented farrier Tom Gratton, the first blacksmith at Kawartha Downs, and his wife Ann, sisters and avid harness racing followers and participants Doreen Brock and Leona Wright and former Kawartha Downs’ Telephoto employee and caretaker Brenna Seeley, who was killed tragically in an auto accident at 24.

Kawartha Downs is proud to have had the opportunity to recognize their impact on its racetrack.

Racing resumes next Saturday night with a 7 p.m. post time. There are just three Saturday nights left of live racing for the 2014 season.

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

(Kawartha Downs)