Manitoba Derby highlights 50-date meet

Assiniboia Downs in Winnipeg, Manitoba, begins a 50-day meet with an appealing seven-race card Sunday.

Live racing will be on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and select Sundays and holidays. Post time is 7:15 p.m., except for the Sunday and holiday cards, which have first posts of 1:15 p.m. Post time for Canada Day (July 1) is 7:15 p.m.

The meet high point is the $75,000 Manitoba Derby on Aug. 6. Other meet highlights include the Manitoba Oaks and the Debutante Stakes on Aug. 3; the Gold Cup on Sept. 3; the Manitoba Matron on Sept. 7; and the Winnipeg Futurity and Buffalo Stakes on closing day, Sept. 9. The first stakes of the meet is the Astral Moon on May 18.

The speedy Tadaa heads Sunday’s feature, a second-level allowance with a $15,000 claiming option for fillies and mares.

Tadaa won four of eight starts last year, all for trainer Gary Danelson. She was versatile enough to win her five-furlong debut in May and the one-mile Manitoba Oaks in August. She completed her campaign with back-to-back six-furlong allowance scores.

There are three winter-raced runners in the feature who should have a fitness advantage on the locals: Tactics, Starship Mischief, and Livinintheleftlane. Tactics may try to go with Tadaa early, which could set the table for one of the closers.

The former Woodbine runner Buckden House won a $10,000 conditioned claimer on the synthetic Tapeta surface Oct. 22 before tailing off later in the fall. Rounding out the field are Jaya Ho, Whatsnottolove, and Stevie Mac.

All seven races Sunday will be at five furlongs. The nightcap, a first-level optional claimer, lured a contentious field of 10, including Lady Warrior and Respect the Shot. The first race, a $1,500 claimer, has a fat $7,500 purse.