Opening day at the races is always memorable, but when the race caller loses his voice halfway through the card and a new handle record is set, all while competing against stormy skies, it becomes a curtain-raiser for the history books.
The eventful kickoff to Kawartha Downs 2025 live harness racing season on Saturday, May 17, was one that loyal fans, and dedicated staff – namely, longtime race announcer Evan Loucks – won’t soon forget.
“I have never lost my voice doing anything,” said Loucks, who’s held full-time race caller duties at Kawartha since 2005. “I had been battling a cold, and it finally took a hold. I was flying through the day, but when it came time for the races, all of a sudden, I had nothing.”
Loucks grinded his way through the first eight contests on the 12-race card before horse racing enthusiast, lawyer, and part-time announcer Adam Mauntah and revered horseman John MacMillan took the reins for the home stretch.
Mauntah, who has filled in for Loucks in the past, had visited the race caller’s booth earlier in the night to catch up with Loucks.
Later in the evening, he returned to offer a helping hand.
“Adam came up right after the eighth race and said, ‘If you want me to take over and call a race, I'd be happy to help you out,” recounted Loucks, who at that point was struggling to even mimic speaking and graciously shifted into a support role.
“He did from the ninth race on and then also closed it out. He's very humble and a great fellow.”
Also coming to the rescue was MacMillan, the former GM and track announcer at Rideau Carleton Raceway, whose indomitable spirit in the face of health challenges was on full display, once again.
“He had some horses going that night,” said Loucks, of the versatile MacMillan, who recently surpassed 1,800 training wins and $10 million in purse earnings. “I received a call from the paddock office around the fifth or sixth race and they said, 'John McMillan's here. He’s offering to do the post parades and other miscellaneous tasks aside from the race calling if it would help you out a bit.’”
Loucks was happy to oblige.
“It was great to see John earlier in the night, but then to see him step up, that didn’t surprise me one bit. I'm very appreciative of him and Adam being there. It was quite touching, especially, seeing John up there.”
An unforgettable night in the booth was complemented by a record turnout at the mutuel booths.
Kawartha registered a record opening day handle of $70,967.92. The figure represents a marked increase from last year’s opening day total of $25,916.
“I couldn't believe how many people were in the grandstand,” recalled Loucks. “They've done a great job putting some money into the track this year, especially on the second floor with improvements to the bar area where people can bet on more racetracks and enjoy themselves.”
Driver Samuel Fillion would have been a popular betting choice on opening night after flirting with a record showing of his own. The Kawartha regular won five of the night’s dozen races, coming up one tally shy of matching the track record.
While Loucks didn’t have the words at the time, what transpired at the Peterborough-area oval on Saturday evening spoke volumes about the Kawartha way.
“The people keep you coming back,” said Loucks, who called his first race at Kawartha as a 22-year-old in 1986. “The people around Kawartha have been there for years and they make the experience unique. It's a pleasure being out there. It's not work… it's a blast.”
(with files from Kawartha)
What a great night from…
What a great night from everyone involved! How many tracks have 3 competent race announcers? Great to hear Johnny Mac, Adam and The Velvet Frog for even showing up. Great bet, Great crowd!