It was the 'Bax brothers show' following Saturday night's Goodtimes Invitational at Kawartha Downs while Reg Gassien captured the Shorelines Drivers’ Championship thanks to two victories during the five-race competition.

John Bax trained and co-owned the incomparable trotter Goodtimes, who is now 25 and a member of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. He was on hand Saturday to autograph posters of his famous horse and make the trophy presentation to the winner of the $10,000 Goodtimes Invitational, Kawartha’s signature race.

It proved a very exciting race with Covert Operative and Ramas Last Son battling down the stretch. Ramas Last Son prevailed by a head in 1:57 for driver Rick Webb, while Covert Operative, with Gord Brown, up had to settle for second. KD regular Chuckalo Caden finished third.

The winner is trained and owned by John’s brother Russell Bax so it was Bax presenting to Bax in the winner’s circle. Ramas Last Son, a five-year-old son of Majestic Son, finished third in last year’s inaugural Goodtimes Invitational. This was his fourth win of the 2016 season and put his earnings over $54,000 for the year.

“We’re really grateful to Kawartha for honouring Goodtimes each year. This is where he started his career and where he ended it so it’s always fun to come back. With Russell winning it, just makes it that much more special,” noted John Bax.

The Shorelines Drivers’ Championship proved a very exciting six-race contest among Kawartha’s top nine drivers this year: Gord Brown, Reg Gassien, Tony Kerwood, Nick Boyd, Justin Turcotte, Murray Brethour, Pat Rouleau, Doug Hie and Rick Webb.

Gassien captured the first race, Kerwood the second, Boyd the next and Turcotte the following. Heading into the last race, it was anyone’s to win, but Gassien sealed it up with a victory aboard Royal Machery. Tony Kerwood ended up second while Nick Boyd was third.

The tournament wins were part of a hat trick on the card for Gassien, who also won the first race, the OLG Trot, with Early Hit. Gassien also trains the winner, who was scoring his third victory in 10 tries this year.

Racing returns to the Fraserville oval next Saturday night at 7 p.m. It will be Kawartha Downs' second of two Memorial Nights.

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

(With files from Kawartha Downs)