For any horseperson, winning the signature race at your home track is pretty special. For Russell Bax, winning the Goodtimes Invitational at Kawartha Downs carries even more weight, as the race’s namesake was a trotter campaigned to a Hall of Fame career by his brother, John Bax.
Russell’s entrant in Saturday night’s $10,000 contest, Ramas Last Son, also happens to be the defending champion, as he won the Goodtimes last year. “It's always nice to have a title to defend,” said Russell with a chuckle.
“It’s the Goodtimes. When you have an opportunity to race in an event that's related to your family and at my home track, I make an effort to support it. If I have a horse good enough, I will make sure I enter. It was nice to win a race named after a horse that meant so much to my brother John. Our family has been around Kawartha for a long time, and regardless of how we finish this year, it’s always nice to have everyone home for the event.”
Ramas Last Son and the Bax brothers following the trotter’s win in the 2016 Goodtimes (Image courtesy Kawartha Downs)
A six-year-old gelding by Majestic Son, Ramas Last Son has drawn Post 4 in the Goodtimes, which has been carded as Race 8 on the program. Rick Webb has been tapped to drive.
“’Rammer’ has a loyal following at Kawartha. I purchased him privately from Ed Peconi when he took time off from training to have shoulder surgery,” noted Bax whose trip to Kawartha is far closer than Mohawk where the horse has been racing. “Ed made him a nice horse and I have been fortunate to keep him going. When I have an opportunity to bring him back here, I try to take advantage of it.”
Russell and John aren’t the only Bax brothers involved in racing, and Russell is quick to give brother Carl a nod when speaking about Ramas Last Son.
“Rammer has been very good to me, but a lot of the credit to goes to my brother, Carl, who looks after the blacksmithing. Carl rarely misses watching a race and quickly spots any corrections that need to be made. He’s the brains and I’m the grunt,” Bax praised.
The Goodtimes anchors Kawartha Downs’ Titans of Trotting evening, which celebrates the careers of three extremely talented trotters that started their careers at Kawartha Downs and ended them with induction into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame – Goodtimes, San Pail and Billyjojimbob.
The connections of all three horses will be on hand prior to the start of the races to sign free posters for fans. The track will also host races for San Pail and Billyjojimbob as well as the OLG’s ‘Thrill of Winning’ race.
Post time for the card is 7 p.m.
To view the harness racing entries for Saturday at Kawartha, click the following link: Saturday Entries – Kawartha Downs.
(Kawartha Downs)