Trainer Richard "Nifty" Norman will have his stable out in force this weekend with prime candidates both in Friday's fifth preliminary leg of the MGM Ursula McIntyre Series at Yonkers and then on Saturday in the $50,000 conclusion to the Bobby Weiss Series for sophomore male pacers at Mohegan Sun Pocono Downs. On Friday, Norman sends out a pair in two of three $50,000 divisions of the McIntyre, with one horse likely advancing to the rich final on May 8 and the other hoping for minor spoils in the consolation. Perhaps his biggest surprise this year is Millwood Bliss N, a 6-year-old by Sweet Lou that has emerged with two wins in the first four legs of the series and could be preparing for a major payday in the final. "She did a lot of racing before she came over," said Norman of Millwood Bliss N's 5-year-old campaign in 2025 that saw the mare win but three times in 25 starts. This year she's won three of her first five races. "She's just been more settled this year than she was last year." Millwood Bliss N looked to be on the outside of a final berth after finishing sixth in the opening leg. "That may have been on me," said Norman half-joking. "I was giving Jonathan Ahle too many instructions and how to handle her behind the gate. She got mad and made a break." The tables turned for Norman and Millwood Bliss N in the second leg when she rallied without cover into a quick final-half for Dexter Dunn at odds of 52-1. After a creditable fourth in the third leg of the series on April 10, Millwood Bliss N regained winning form in last week's penultimate preliminary, tracking down favored Tarapasta in the stretch. "All of these races are big," said Norman. "You're going for $50,000 every week, so it's not just the points but the purses." With $60K already banked in 2026, Millwood Bliss hopes to add to her account on Friday night in race three, the second of three McIntyre divisions carded. Millwood Bliss N drew post six in a field with the same number and despite her recent form is not likely to be the public choice. Louies Girl N (post one) has been a dominant force in the series this year thus far and looks for her fourth victory in the series on Friday. A 1:51 4/5 winner last week, Louies Girl N's time was a full two seconds faster than Millwood Bliss N. "I still think we can get a nice check in there," Norman said, recognizing the position advantage of Louies Girl N. ► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter Dougs Babe A has raced in all four preliminary legs for Norman without a victory but has looked better in her last two outings. "She's been improving," said Norman. "I think we're hoping for a spot in the consolation with her." Dougs Babe A (post two) faces just four others in the fourth race and final McIntyre division on the Yonkers card. Dougs Babe A is definitely a contender in the short field, with Silk Cloud A (post three) and Tick A Loch A (post four) both preliminary leg winners looking to bolster their chances of reaching the final. Just five mares will go in the first McIntyre section, with Tarapasta (post one), last year's champion Aardie B Miki N (post two) and Coastal Babe N (post four) hoping to lock up positions in the final. On Saturday the action shifts to Pocono, and Norman's Twin B Manhunt could be a player in the Weiss final, race 10 of 14 on the afternoon program. "He's improved with every start," said Norman of the Huntsville-sired gelding that he said was a bit hard to train down and raced just three times as a freshman. Twin B Manhunt won for the first time in his career in the third and final preliminary round of the Weiss on April 18, pacing to a 1:53 mark. Driven by Tyler Buter, Twin B Manhunt saved ground throughout the mile and then found room along the pylons in the stretch for the score. "I think he's a better horse than what he shows on the program," Norman said of the improving Twin B Manhunt. "Dexter (Dunn) will drive him this week, and I'm hoping they can mix it up a little bit." With a favorable draw, Norman recognizes that Twin B Manhunt will need to see plenty of action on the front-end if he has a chance for an upset. Last week's final round may have been the kind of shake-up that Norman was thinking about as Twin B Thriller (post six), an imposing winner in the first two legs of the series, made a break in the stretch under pressure and finished fourth. Whether that opens the door for the rest remains to be seen, but there are certainly others in the group of sophomores with talent and potential. Ooglesaurus (post five) won in both of his preliminary legs for trainer Joe Bongiorno and Jason Bartlett guides the gelded son of Lazurus in the final. Tyler Buter opted for Justinian (post two) in the Weiss final, and the Nick Devita-trained son of Papi Rob Hanover has improved with each start this year, posting a lifetime-best 1:51 3/5 clocking in his victory on April 18, setting him up nicely for the final. Stingman (post eight) was a beaten favorite in the first two rounds of the series but pulled off the upset in last week's final leg for Dave Palone. Stingman drew post eight for the final but has shown the capacity to overcome the draw this year with five wins in seven tries. Twin B Thriller is the Weiss series' fastest winner to date with his 1:49 4/5 effort in the April 4 opening round. The son of Always B Miki has slowed it down dramatically in the next two rounds, winning the second in 1:51 3/5. Rounding out the Weiss field will be Barrow (post one), Southwind Galvestn (post three) and Northern Attitude (post seven). Pocono races at 1:00 P.M. (EDT) on Saturday, while Yonkers Raceway gets underway at 6:45 P.M. (EDT) on Friday.