A card of nine races will kick off the meet for The Loop on Saturday, Aug. 2 featuring two divisions of the Lady Crocus Stakes for three-year-old pacing fillies.
In the first division of the Lady Crocus, a field of eight fillies will vie for the $12,570 purse in race two. From post three, Miss Baby is the 2-1 morning Iine favourite with Paula Mason in the seat for her parents, trainer Sherri and co-owner Darryl Mason. The Hes Watching-Dreamfair Eternity filly has made two starts this year in a maiden class at Miami Fair, producing two second-place finishes.
Seven sophomore fillies set the stage for the second division of the Lady Crocus in race seven, carrying a $12,370 purse. The 2-1 morning line choice is Shirley Wicked from post four. Making her debut from the Jacqueline Grundy stable with Tyler Grundy listed to drive, the McWicked-Big Shir filly has started her sophomore year at Century Downs with a win in her last start on July 23 in 1:57.4 for Manitoba owner/breeder Derek Gilbert.
Open pacers will face off in a pair of events on Saturday's undercard. In the $6,000 Fillies & Mares Open in race five, Tina La Vida takes the mark as the 2-1 morning line favourite over her field of five other foes. From post five, the Aurel Vodon student will be piloted by Tyler Grundy. The five-year-old Santanna Blue Chip-Tresselette mare has had two wins in 10 starts so far this year.
Four males will go postward in the $6,000 Open Handicap in race eight with Ginger Tree Finny declared the morning line favourite with 2-1 odds. Michel Rey will be in the bike for trainer Melanie Clark Rey and owner Laverne Turnbull of Kitchener, Ont. The seven-year-old Captaintreacherous-Ideal Weather gelding is coming off back-to-back Open wins at Miami.
Racing at The Loop will take place every Saturday from Aug. 2 through Oct. 4 with a first post time of 1 p.m. CDT. Every card from Aug. 2 to Sept. 27 will feature stakes racing action with the Lady Crocus on the card opener, followed by the Futurity eliminations and final, Manitoba Great Western Stakes eliminations and final, and the Golden Boy & Silk Lace stakes series along with the Kindergarten and Juvenile.
To view Saturday's harness racing entries, click the following link: Saturday Entries - The Loop // Program Pages (courtesy TrackIT).
(Standardbred Canada)