The return of live harness racing to Manitoba is just over one month away, with participants eager to return to the racetrack courtesy a strong horse population.

“We’ll have about 100 horses racing this year," Trevor Williams, president of the Manitoba Standardbred Racing Industry told Pembina Valley Online. "We have horsemen coming from Saskatchewan. Very shortly they’ll move onto a farm in Manitoba to quarantine, so they can race at the end of June. As far as Manitoba goes we have horsemen from across the province."

According to Williams, Manitoba's circuit will once again focus on the Miami location with 10 race dates. Miami is approximately 90 minutes / 120 kilometres southwest of Winnipeg, and three hours from the Saskatchewan border.

“Much the same as last year and we hope things get better this summer but right now we are limited on what we can do,” noted Williams in reference to COVID restrictions. “We’re hoping to see some people in the stands. We had limited crowds last year and right now we aren’t allowed to have people in the grandstands."

The season is slated to start on Saturday, June 26 with dates scheduled for the next 10 Saturdays through to Saturday, August 28.

Williams also confirmed that progress still being made on the new racetrack being developed on the Red River Exhibition property.

"Watching the work get done at the Red River Ex right now has us all champing at the bit," Williams told Trot Insider. "I fully expect that we will be taking horses to that track this summer to test the surface and make sure everything is up to par. However, actual races won't begin there until 2022."