Prairie Illusion used her customary off-the-pace tactics to steal the spotlight in the $10,500 Fillies & Mares Open Pace featured on Fraser Downs' Good Friday afternoon card of harness racing.
Pureform Goodtogo (Bill Davis) was the public's choice at odds of 6-5 and the 10-year-old veteran of the field worked her way to the lead over insider Just One More (Brandon Campbell) during the :27.1 opening panel. The favourite cleared off the turn and headed in front of the grandstand for the first time. Meanwhile, Prairie Illusion and driver Serge Masse settled in line back in fifth-place.
Pureform Goodtogo continued to lead the field to the half in :57.1 before coming under pressure. Last week's winner, Rummys Command (Keith Clark), made the first over sacrifice and swept up from third down the backstretch, with Prairie Illusion moving into the outer flow to follow the cover.
Rummys Command headed Pureform Goodtogo as they raced by three-quarters in 1:25.2, but Prairie Illusion was looming second over and fanned wide for the stretch drive. She took over down the lane and prevailed in 1:54.4 by three-quarters of a length, with Just One More shooting up the passing lane and edging out Pureform Goodtogo in a photo for second. The six-horse field was spread across just two and a quarter lengths at the wire with Skade, Rummys Command and Gracie Montana competing the order of finish.
Prairie Illusion paid $13 to win as the 5-1 fourth choice.
Owned and trained by William Young, Prairie Illusion picked up her fourth win from 10 starts this year and bumped her seasonal earnings to $25,935. Lifetime, the six-year-old Mach Three-Twin B Magical mare has won 27 races and $225,636 in purse earnings.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Fraser Downs.