The best crowd of the 2015 season was on hand tonight at Kawartha Downs where the featured race was Racing Under Saddle, featuring six horses in front of more than 1,800 fans.

The race was captured by Massive Muscles, ridden by Sophie Engerran, in 2:00.4. Trainer Julie Walker co-owns the winner, a four-year-old gelding by Muscle Mass with Jean Bernard Renaud.

The riders who participated in the race were very appreciative of the large crowd on hand. “That’s the best crowd we’ve raced in front of this year and the most competitive race,” noted Britt Kennedy, who rode SAS Warkentin to a fourth-place finish.

The fastest mile of the 2015 season was turned in a few races later by Fortune Playboy, who was five lengths the best in 1:52 for Justin Turcotte. Millionaire Kindly Poet was second. It was the second straight victory for the five-year-old gelding trained and co-owned by John MacMillan.

This was the first of three elevated purse nights on the Kawartha calendar. The next one set is for August 1, the always popular Family Night. Live harness racing returns to the five-eighths mile track next Saturday night, with first race post time set for 7:00 p.m.

To view the full results from Kawartha's Saturday card, click the following link: Saturday Results - Kawartha Downs.

(with files from Kawartha)