E L Rock and Newbie came away victorious in their respective Preferred assignments Monday evening at The Raceway at Western Fair District, and it was Nick Steward who showed them the way to victory lane.

Steward went gate-to-wire with E L Rock in the Preferred 3 for trotters. The eight-year-old son of Yankee Glide-Courtney Hall sliced through fractions of :28.4, 1:00 and 1:29.3 before using a :30.1 closing quarter to win by 1-3/4 lengths over race favourite Thundering Ovation. Third prize in the nine-horse affair went to Credit Score.

Trainer Britt Kennedy co-owns the gelding with Karry Howard of Wardsville and Jason Bedell of Morpeth, Ont. The partners celebrated the first of the season with the 17-time winner. His earnings now stand at $339,254.

Steward used the same tactical approach with Newbie, who couldn’t be caught once he made the lead in the $7,500 Preferred 3 for pacing horses and geldings. The four-year-old son of Always A Virgin-Nat A Tat Tat sped through panels of :28.1, :58.4 and 1:27.3 before storming home in :28.2 to seal the deal by 2-1/4 lengths over race favourite Bestofthebunch in 1:56. Third best was Stoney Durkin.

Ian Hyatt trains the gelding for owners Larry Ainsworth of Petrolia, Ont. and William Boden of Vancouver, BC. It was the first win of the season – and the 12th to date – for the career winner of $75,835.

To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results – The Raceway at Western Fair Raceway.