Manitoba’s 2018 season of live racing officially kicked off on Sunday (July 8), as a nine-race program was contested at the Holland Fair.

The $3,300 Fillies and Mares Open Pace took to the track for Race 8, and it was the Sherri Mason-trained and Darryl Mason-driven Cordees Fantasy ($9.70) that got the job done via a wire-to-wire, 2:00.1 mile.

The $3,500 Open Pace followed in Race 9, and it was the longest shot on the board, Full Moon Dodger ($43.20), who hit the wire first in 1:59.4. The Trevor Williams-trained and Marc Fillion-driven charge had toiled in the backfield early, but he came on to take control in the third panel and eventually post a one-length victory at odds of 20-1.

The fastest win time of the day came in Race 4, as the Trevor Williams-trained and Donald Howlett-driven Tahuya Rico ($2:50) converted a first-up trip into a one-length victory in 1:59.3.

Williams harnessed three winners on the program, as he also notched a victory with Pinkie Pie ($2.80) in addition to his scores with Full Moon Dodger and Tahuya Rico.

Howlet recorded a driving triple, as he notched a win with Pinkie Pie ($2.80) and Western Olympian ($2.10) in addition to his score with Tahuya Rico.

For more information on upcoming races in Manitoba, check out manitobaharnessracing.com.

To view the harness racing results for Sunday at Holland, click the following link: Sunday Results – Holland Fair.

Standardbreds line up behind a starting gate in Manitoba (Facebook)