Manitoba harness racing continues with the opening of The Loop for its fourth season on Saturday, Aug. 1.

The feature on the 10-race 1 p.m. (CDT) card is a $4,000 upper-level conditioned pace. Severe Turbulence headlines the field from post four after strong showings in two starts at Miami Fair to begin her season. The Tara Isman-trained daughter of Captive Audience-Outlawlookslikrain won her seasonal debut there on July 18 — facing this exact group — and finished second to a dominant winner the week after. Richard Remillard has the lines. Severe Turbulence will again face last year’s Manitoba-Bred Aged Mare of the Year Fall Out Girl, who aims to rebound after finishing a well-beaten fifth in that July 18 race. The Andreoli Hanover-Alcars Xit mare will leave from post two with owner-trainer-breeder Marc Fillion aboard. Shirley Wicked (PP1, Tyler Grundy), Minnekhada Joe (PP3, Travis Tracey) and Irish Jean (PP5, Clayton Braybrook) complete the field.

Several other 2025 Manitoba award winners are set for action on the card, including both recipients for Manitoba-Bred Two-Year-Old: filly Libbys Delight (PP4, Travis Tracey) in the eighth race and colt Justcruiseonbye (PP1, Blake Piwniuk) in the sixth.

The 2026 meet at The Loop consists of 10 race dates — every Saturday until Oct. 3. The track, located at the Red River Exhibition Park in Winnipeg, Man., opened in 2023.

The highlight of the season will be the 79th Manitoba Great Western Stakes for three-year-olds, with the final set for Aug. 29 and eliminations the week before. The Aug. 8 card will feature the $20,000 (added) Lady Crocus for three-year-old pacing fillies.

To view Saturday’s harness racing entries, click the following link: Saturday Entries - The Loop  // Program Pages (courtesy TrackIT).

(Standardbred Canada)