Shippers, filly top players in Derby

Bonanza and Matt's Broken Vow, both arriving from Woodbine, will face three locals and a talented filly from Prairie Meadows in Monday's 60th edition of the $100,000 Manitoba Lotteries Derby at Assiniboia Downs.

The 1 1/8-mile Manitoba Derby is the last of nine races on a card that features three other stakes.

Bonanza won the 1 1/16-mile Wando Stakes at Woodbine in April when rallying from near the back of the pack to score a 3 1/4-length victory for trainer Mark Casse.

Favored in both his subsequent starts, Bonanza closed but could not gain ground in deep stretch and settled for second in the Grade 3, 1 1/16-mile Marine. He finished fourth in the 1 1/8-mile Victoria Park.

Bonanza will need a hot pace to run at and must improve off his lone dirt effort, a distant ninth-place finish in the Grade 3 Risen Star at Fair Grounds, which was won by Pyro, one of the top 3-year-olds on the continent.

Bonanza will add blinkers for the Manitoba Derby.

Matt's Broken Vow, trained by Josie Carroll, should get the jump on Bonanza as the two face each other for the third straight outing.

Matt's Broken Vow kept up a stubborn drive in the Marine to register a half-length victory over Bonanza for his first stakes win.

In the Victoria Park, however, Matt's Broken Vow could not sustain his bid and ran an even fifth, finishing three-quarters of a length behind Bonanza.

Rasierra is the lone filly in the race and boasts the top Beyer Speed Figure, a 94 she earned winning the $50,000 Panther Stakes going a mile in early June at Prairie Meadows.

Rasierra has run in stakes in 8 of her 10 career starts and her only real throw-away race would be when she finished eighth in the Kentucky Oaks over a sloppy surface. In that race, she was in trouble early and finished 11 1/2 lengths behind the winner, Proud Spell.

Mr Exspeedient won the Derby Trial by 3 1/2 lengths here July 13 when running on or near the lead for the entire trip.

Ruckus Rules closed stoutly in the Derby Trial to finish second in just his third lifetime start. By Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos and out of an A.P. Indy mare, Ruckus Rules rates a look as a live longshot as she should continue to improve in his fourth start. His breeding indicates he should be able to handle the distance.

Rounding out the field is Colosseum, a recent maiden winner in his third lifetime start.