It’s show time for Manitoba-breds.
The first act took place last Saturday when two-year-old Champion Why So Blue made his three-year-old debut in the 31st running of the $25,000 Frank Arnason Sire Stakes. The curtain rises for the second and third acts this weekend when 2017 horse of the year and Manitoba-bred Escape Clause makes her local 2018 debut in the 34th running of the $27,500 La Verendrye Stakes tonight, and Saturday evening when nine of the best three-year-old Manitoba-bred fillies take to the track for the 11th running of the $25,000 Hazel Wright Sire Stakes.
Why So Blue was making his first start of 2018 in the Frank Arnason, and you never know if a two-year-old will continue to be a runner when they turn three, but the undefeated Manitoba-bred son of Going Commando-Jungle Storm by Storm Boot responded to pressure right on cue for regular rider Prayven Badrie and found enough late to defeat Tom Payne’s game and race-fit T.