The Yorkton Exhibition Board ran a pair of harness race meets, Friday and Sunday last week to complete eight days of racing. There are eight more days of racing left as well as an extra day on the third week of September. "We're adding an extra day on the end," reports Yorkton Exhibi-tion GM Shawn Morin.
This year the returning racers were joined by a couple of first time entries from Alberta and B.C, Morin notes which raises the tally to about 90 horses on the grounds. "Sometimes it's hard to get them all raced. That's why you're seeing so many full nine race cards and eight horse fields," he explains.
The spring weather made it a little tough to race at the beginning of the current season. Despite the weather, the races went ahead. "The horsemen, of course, only make their money if we race," Morin states. With the weather beginning to break, he is optimistic things will improve.
Racing is very competitive again this year with a number of new drivers pushing the veter-ans, Morin suggests. One new driver who appears to be doing well, Mark Haining, will probably be back again next season, Morin anticipates.
Local interest in ownership of harness horses appears to be strong, with several new owners signing up this year. Several owners have bought some better stock this year to improve the quality of racing. "There are a really good bunch of horses here and it's tough racing every race," Morin declares.
Handles and payouts have been good with some substantial payouts won by race fans.
"Let's hope the weather holds the rest of the fall," Morin closes.
Results of the Friday harness races were: Race 1 : 1) Maximus Pass, Driver - B. Le Drew. Owners - Glenn E., T. Jane Grainger, Regina, SK; 2) Phil House, Driver - T Redwood. Owners - Kelvin S. Godlien and Glenn E. Grainger, Regina, SK; 3) Miss Laguna Beach, Driver - T Kaufman. Owner - Terry D Kaufman, Aldergrove, BC. Race 2: 1) Good One, Driver - T Redwood. Owner - Mark Aj Haining, Millet, AB; 2) Lucky As Promised, Driver - T Kaufman. Owner - Mark Aj Haining, Millet, AB; 3) Bling Kaching, Driver - L Hill. Owner - Clayton H Braybrook, Kindersley, SK. Race 3: 1) Bigtime Jackpot, Driver - J Stone. Owners - Glenn E. and T. Jane Grainger, Regina, SK; 2) Twentyten, Driver - D Tracey. Owners - Alexander and Pauline K. Lavery, Calgary, AB; 3) Proven Promise, Driver - B Le Drew. Owners - Murray Selby and Glenn E. Grainger, Regina, SK. Race 4: 1) Tajwon, Driver - G Le Drew. Owner - Ruth E Welcher, Roblin, MB; 2) Kalahari Riff, Driver - K Siever. Owner - Kevin J. Siever, Swift Current, SK; 3) Barona Fivehundred, Driver - T Kaufman. Owner - Bill C. Welcher Roblin, MB. Race 5: 1) Power Maid, Driver - B Le Drew. Owners - Derrick R. Markusson and Glenn E. Grainger, Regina, SK; 2) Pedicure, Driver - G Le Drew. Owner - Bill C. Welcher, Roblin, MB; 3) Hur-ricane Pat, Driver - T Kaufman. Owner - Jerry A. Hagenaars, Hafford, SK. Race 6: 1) Poor Boy Hall, Driver - B Gray. Owner - Brian J. Gray, Raymore, SK; 2) Thief On The Run, Driver - L Hill. Owner - Clayton H. Braybrook, Kindersley, SK; 3) Dal Reo Indy, Driver - G Le Drew. Owner - Twisted Sisters Stable, Regina, SK. Race 7: 1) Meadow-larkslilstar, Driver - T Kaufman. Lessee - Mark Aj Haining, Millet, AB; 2) Barona Galaxy, Driver - L Hill. Owners - Harry J. Fleury, Saskatoon, Shyloh Acres, Larry Packet, Davidson, SK; 3) Ashley Rocks, Driver - L Hill. Owner - Perry Trost, Yorkton, SK. Race 8: 1) Right On Willie, Driver - K Siever. Owners - Elaine R. Bell, Macnutt, T. Jane Grain-ger, Regina, SK, Ruth A. Carriere, Roblin, MB; 2) Just So Justified, Driver - L Hill. Owners - Ronald J. Boehm and Betty F. Denischuk, Yorkton, SK; 3) Minettas-tuppence, Driver - B Gray. Owners - Brian J. Gray, Raymore and Douglas A. Poier, Yorkton, SK.
Sunday results of the double race meet weekend were: Race 1: 1) Man-storm, Driver - G Le Drew. Owner - Un Stable, Yorkton, SK; 2) Pandoori, Driver - R Kosterman. Owners - Rick Jw Kosterman, Delta, BC, Jocelyn L. Montgomery, Edmonton, AB, Perry Trost, Yorkton, SK; 3) Phil House, Driver - T Redwood. Owners - Kelvin S. and Godlien Glenn E. Grainger, Regina, SK. Race 2: 1) Lunar Wynd Rose, Driver - R Kosterman. Owners - Rick Jw Koster-man, Delta, BC and Jocelyn L. Montgom-ery, Edmonton, AB; 2) Sassy Lil Beach, Driver - D Tracey. Owner - Minettas Holdings Ltd, Didsbury, AB; 3) Heartland Dotty, Driver - G Le Drew. Owners - Blake F Piw-niuk and Elaine R. Bell, Macnutt, SK. Race 3: 1) Just So Justified, Driver - L Hill. Owners - Ronald J. Boehm and Betty F. Denischuk, York-ton, SK; 2) Motor-boat-en-brando, Driver - G Le Drew. Owner - Shawn M. Worthen, Wroxton, SK; 3) Meadowlarkslilstar, Driver - E Tracey. Lessee - Mark Aj Haining, Millet, AB. Race 4: 1) Good One, Driver - T Redwood. Owner - Mark Aj Haining, Millet, AB; 2) Barona Galaxy, Driver - L Hill. Owners - Harry J. Fleury, Saskatoon, Shyloh Acres, Larry Packet, Davidson, SK; 3) Marlowe, Driver - G Le Drew. Owner - Don J. Soloninko, Wroxton, SK. Race 5: 1) Lucky As Promised, Driver - T Kaufman. Owner - Mark Aj Haining, Millet, AB; 2) Mystic Cameo, Driver - T Redwood. Owners - Jennifer Sutter and Blake F. Piwniuk, Macnutt, SK; 3) Bling Kaching, Driver - L Hill. Owner - Clayton H. Braybrook, Kindersley, SK. Race 6: 1) Maximus Pass, Driver - G Le Drew. Owners - Glenn E. and T. Jane Grainger, Regina, SK; 2) Fly Casual, Driver - T Kaufman. Lessee - Mark Aj Haining, Millet, AB; 3) Camaction, Driver - D Tracey. Owner - Donald J. Tracey, Calmar, AB. Race 7: 1) Power Maid, Driver - B Le Drew. Owners - Derrick R. Markusson and Glenn E. Grainger, Regina, SK; 2) Pedicure, Driver - G Le Drew. Owner - Bill C. Welcher, Roblin, MB; 3) Miss Laguna Beach, Driver - T Kaufman. Owner - Terry D. Kauf-man, Aldergrove, BC. Race 8: 1) Barona Five-hundred, Driver - T Kauf-man. Owner - Bill C. Welcher, Roblin, MB; 2) Ignite The Spark, Driver - R Kosterman. Owners - Jocelyn L. Montgomery, Edmonton, AB, Rick Jw Kosterman, Delta, BC, Bonnie A. Galenzoski, Lumsden, SK; 3) Thief On The Run, Driver - L Hill. Owner - Clayton H. Braybrook, Kindersley, SK.
