A pair of Prairie Lily Pace races highlighted action at Cornerstone Raceway in Yorkton Friday.
In the first half of the Standardbred Canada sponsored races, Philip Giesbrecht piloted Marlowe to the top spot in 2:02.4 over Travis Cullen with Phoenician Gal and Dallas McGee with Princess Dorleans.
Marlowe's trainer Seth McLeod said the credit for conditioning went to Nolan and Lance McLeod, who do the day-to-day work with the six-year-old mare.
In the second Prairie Lily race, Found My Desire took the top spot in 2:01.2 in rein to Glenn LeDrew over Hugh Woods with Oral Fixation and Brian Gray with Stagger Lee.
LeDrew was all smiles over the win.
"Boy she sure raced great didn't she?" he said.
LeDrew said trainer Monty Michell had just taken over with Found My Desire.
"He said he had made some adjustments with her," said the driver, adding "The right equipment and the shoes are everything."
Whatever Michell did worked, said LeDrew.
"She sure raced good," he reiterated. "...She raced the race of her life."
Gray was coming off a win in the Kahkewistahaw Gas and C Store Feature race with The Missing Sock, topping Tyler Redwood with Im A Wildcat and Giesbrecht with Mr Warlock.
Gray called the win "kind of surprising." He said The Missing Sock has long been an underachiever that "always kind of dawdles down the lane."
But on occasion the four-year-old mare puts it together.
"That was a good mile," said Gray. "...I think she was surprised and so was I. Not too much surprises me anymore, but that she won like that did."
Gray said the mare even had more to give had she needed it.
"She can be very, very fast," he said, but added she tends to not care and so the third and fourth place finishes are more common. "But once in a while she surprises you."
Gray also scored a win with Merlins Magicmaker in race two.
Redwood won a pair of races Friday, including the opener with Light The Board in a season-best time of 1:58.3 over Giesbrecht with Red Star Egyptian and M. George Isman with Barona Fivehundred.
Redwood said Light The Board has been racing well, with the win Friday his fifth win in seven starts.
Redwood said when he saw a half-mile time at just over :59-seconds he knew they were on a quick pace, adding a challenge by Giesbrecht with Red Star Egyptian kept his drive moving.
"I've figured he's [Light The Board] the best horse on the grounds and going 1:58 I guess he showed it," offered Redwood.
Redwood also topped race eight of the card with Red Star Best. The win was the gelding's third straight and fifth win seven races.
In the Yorkton Co-op Feature race, Cullen went to the winner's circle with Goalie Blake over LeDrew with Right On Willie and Mark Haining with Just A Mark.
Cullen had also won race three with Julianas Girl.
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Yorkton Exhibition.
(Trot Insider exclusive by Calvin Daniels)