Hot start for Fillion at Kawartha

Kawartha Downs opened its doors for its 52nd season of harness racing on Friday (May 17), and 2023 leading driver Samuel Fillion started his title defense strong with a triple.

The Quebec native got on the board in race two, steering Majestic Virgin (Always A Virgin) in a wire-to-wire win in 1:55. Fillion has driven the eight-year-old mare, owned and trained by Amanda Riley, to five wins in seven starts this year.

Fillion added another tally with Captains Pick (Captaintreacherous) in the fourth. He gave him first-over orders passing the half, and the gelding drew clear down the stretch after braving the breeze to score in 1:58. It was the four-year-old’s first start off a three-month layoff for trainer Kyle Fellows.

Miss Dew Write (Sportswriter) held on by a head in the fifth after cutting the mile to complete Fillion’s triple with in 1:56 victory. It was a seasonal best for the four-year-old trained by Tom Riley for Amanda Riley, Barry McClennan, and Shelley Racing Stables.

Fillion is coming off a season in which he broke his personal records in wins and starts. He is on track to break 200 wins for the first time this year and surpass his bests in starts and earnings. He tallied 36 victories at Kawartha in 2023 with a win rate of 24.2 per cent.

Kawartha Downs will race Fridays this season until Sep. 13.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink