On a night with two races going for $4,500 purses and a third race for a feature blanket, it was the seventh race of the card which was the highlight of the night at Cornerstone Raceway in Yorkton, Saskatchewan
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In the $2,000 claimer, nine year-old gelding Stonebridge Camlot surprised everyone, including trainer and driver Blake Piwniuk by rounding the track in a time of 1:57.4, equalling the track record held by Outlaw Watch Me with driver Brian Gray.
Glenn LeDrew was second in the record tying race with Abbafun, while Tyler Redwood and Phil House were third.
Piwniuk said he did not see such a fast time in the cards Friday night. "Two-one [2.1] maybe. That was in the back of my mind. That's it," he said.
That said, Piwniuk said Stonebridge Camlot has been pacing well -- the win Friday being the gelding's fourth win in a row, and sixth in seven starts. "So he's brave," he said.
Stonebridge Camlot had a :28.4 opening quarter, was :59 at the half and 1:27.4 at the three-quarter pole. "I knew he was tough," said Piwniuk, adding, "When the race was going on I knew we were moving."
Grabbing a share of the record was something Piwniuk said he was "big" in his mind. "The record hadn't been touched since it was established," he said, adding, "1:58s are rare here."
Piwniuk also topped one half of the Saskatchewan Standardbred Owners and Breeders Prairie Pace taking Bad Dude to top spot over Cheyenne Dusk and George Isman and Intheghetto and Brian Gray.
Piwniuk said he felt Bad Dude was in a position to challenge for the win coming off a crisp 1:58.3 in Wawanessa on Aug. 14. "I knew he was game," he said, adding he went into the race with the game plan of getting to the front of the six-horse field and staying there. "I knew this week I was going to roll with him," he offered. "I knew if I sat I was going to be beat. I was ready to chase down the leaders if I had to to go wire-to-wire."
In the second division of the SSBOA Prairie Pace, Richard Remillard took Sophio Hanover to the winner's circle over Isman with Sgt Pepper and Gray with Rob Roy Blue Chip.
The All About Flowers Feature had Remillard again piloting the winner; Found My Desire, over Tyler Redwood with Power Maid and Glenn LeDrew and Dal Reo Indy.
For results from Friday's harness racing card, click on the following link: Friday Results - Yorkton Exhibition.
(Trot Insider exclusive by Calvin Daniels)