If all of the Racing Under Saddle Ontario races this season are as exciting as the one on Saturday night (June 4) at Kawartha Downs, which kicked off the 2016 RUS season, it should prove a wonderful year.

A terrific crowd was on hand at the Fraserville, Ont. track to watch the trotters in the $4,000 sixth race being ridden rather than driven. The lead changed hand several times throughout the race with the trotters four-wide across the stretch heading for home.

At the wire first was Southwind Alice with Evelyn Harms at the controls, followed by Santo Domingo and Marit Valstad, and Massive Muscles and Karoline Nielsen.

“I sat tight until the time was right,” said Harms, who has been participating in RUS races since 2013.

Dave Dowling trains the winner, a five-year-old daughter of Muscle Hill, for owner Allan Neal of Grand Bend, Ont.

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

(With files from Kawartha Downs)