The Manitoba Great Western Stake is run annually and is the most prestigious race Manitoba offers.
Traditionally, it was run similarly to the Little Brown Jug with elimination heats being earlier the same day as the finals. However, it has been recently changed to having the elimination the week prior.
This year’s running will take place on Aug. 31 at The Loop at the Red River Grounds.
Watch & wager at HPIBet.com.
Meet The Field
Driver: Donald Howlett (25-9-6-3, $32,787, 0.533 Udrs)
Trainer: Marc Fillion (21-3-3-4, $17,888, 0.285 Utrs)
Sire: Andreoli Hanover
Andreoli Hanover won 53 of his 284 lifetime starts and collected $672,719 in prize money. His fastest winning mile was 1:50.3 which he achieved at the Meadowlands as a four-year-old. He made his racing debut on July 27th, 2004 at Woodbine Racetrack in the first leg of the Dream Maker.
Andreoli Hanover would spend his early years racing at Woodbine, Meadowlands, Red Mile and The Meadows. He would spend most of his time at the Meadows racing in the Preferred. In 2014, he moved north to P.E.I. and then would eventually find his way west to Alberta. He would never win in Alberta but his last two starts were both second-place finishes.
Yet to sire a Manitoba Great Western winner, however, Andreoli Hanover sired Golden Boy Stakes winner, Ak Up N Attem. He also sired Silk Lace Stakes winner Ak Black Badger. Of his 28 offspring, 18 were starters and 17 have one at least one race. The fastest of his foals is Bettim Jackie who has a lifetime mark of 1:51.1. He also has produced 8 that have paced 1:57 or faster.
Driver: Glenn Le Drew (23-8-1-3, $25,363 0.415 Udrs)
Trainer: Trevor Williams (31-11-1-5, $40,345 0.426 Utrs)
Sire: Lambretta
Lambretta made 261 starts over almost a decade of racing and ended his career with 39 wins. He made his first official start at Woodbine Raceway on April 10th, 2006 and finished second place. He would spend most of his racing career in southern Ontario and the eastern U.S. Lambretta would amass $513,726 in prize money and have a lifetime mark of 1:52.1.
Before the 2015 season, Cory Manning brought him to Manitoba where he would finish off his career racing on the Circuit. Lambretta would win four of his nine starts in Manitoba and ended off on a high note winning in 2:06.4.
Lambretta has yet to sire a Manitoba Great Western winner. However, he has produced 17 starts, 9 of which have paced miles under 1:57. The fastest of his offspring is Myomylookatmefly who won in 1:53.3 just this year.
For more on Lambretta, visit the Stallions page here.
Driver: Marc Fillion (20-5-3-3, $22,663, 0.383 Udrs)
Trainer: Marc Fillion (21-3-3-4, $17,888, 0.285 Utrs)
Sire: Cartoon Daddy
Cartoon Daddy finished his racing career with $505,279 in earnings and 30 wins. He made 118 starts over a six-year career. His racing debut was in the NYSS at Buffalo Raceway and he even won it at 1:58.1. He would go on to win the NYSS Finals for two-year-old colts & geldings in 1:55.2. Yonkers Raceway. He would also achieve his lifetime mark of 1:50.1 during his rookie season.
After spending the first half of his career racing in New York, he moved to P.E.I. He would enter events like the Govenor’s Cup at Summerside Raceway. He unfortunately wouldn’t win any major races in Atlantic Canada but he continued to be competitive. He would finish his career racing at Woodbine Mohawk Park in 2019.
Cartoon Daddy has only produced three foals in total and two of them have competed in a race. Whos Your Daddy is the other Cartoon Daddy’s that has made a start. Whos Your Daddy has made 11 career starts but only has one win.
Driver: Dean Rey (27-6-8-2, $33,808, 0.411 Udrs)
Trainer: Lorraine Rey (17-5-6-2, $28,318, 0.529 Utrs)
Sire: Im The Pied Piper
Im The Pied Piper earned over $390,000 in 196-lifetime starts. He won on 33 occasions and has the lifetime mark of 1:49.4. He debuted in 2012 at the Meadowlands to start his career and finished second place. He would compete in a couple of two-year-old events like the Youthful and Diplomat. He would finish second in the Youthful Final and would win the Diplomat Final in 1:50.3.
Im The Pied Piper would go on to race all over the eastern U.S. and eventually would move his way back north to Quebec and Ontario. His last win was on June 19th at Hanover Raceway. He would finish his career with four starts on the Manitoba Circuit and wrapped his career officially on August 11, 2019.
Only two of Im The Pied Piper’s foals have ever raced. Grit N Grace and Just A Cool Dude both made their racing debuts in 2024. Just A Cool Dude has yet to record a win but Grit N Grace continues to be one of the top fillies in Manitoba this year.
For more on Im The Pied Piper, visit the Stallions page here.
Driver: Tyler Grundy (18-2-2-5, $12,583, 0.265 Udrs)
Trainer: Jacqueline Grundy (18-2-3-5, $13,214, 0.296 Utrs)
Sire: Trust The Artist
Trust The Artist spent his rookie season racing in Pennsylvania but not much came from it. It wasn’t until his sophomore season that things started to take off. He relocated to Alberta and won the Western Canadian Pacing Derby in 1:52.4. He would also win the Sunwapta Finals and the Rocky Mountain Finals. After all his success, he would find himself racing in the Open Class in Alberta and Invitationals in British Columbia.
In 169 starts, Trust The Artist visited the winner’s circle on 53 occasions and earned over $587,000 in prize money. He achieved his lifetime mark of 1:50.2 at Indiana Downs during his five-year-old season.
All 17 starters Trust The Artist sired have earned a victory and 12 of them have best times under 1:57. The fastest of his foals is Pipewrench Charlie who has a lifetime mark of 1:49.4.
Driver: Richard Remillard (30-5-7-10, $33,951, 0.407 Udrs
Trainer: Tara Isman (21-4-7-7-, $25,108, 0.486 Utrs)
Sire: Armbro Baylor
With 74 career starts, Armbro Baylor earned $306,738 in prize money. He also won 13 times and has a lifetime mark of 1:49.1. He began his career in Ontario and competed in several major events but never was able to take any hardware home. However, still managed to pick up wins at the Meadowlands and Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Armbro Baylor booked his last trip to the winner’s circle on December 5th, 2008 at Western Fair. His last start was on February 14th are Flamboro Downs.
Armbro Baylor has already produced Manitoba Great Western winners in Millies Million, Baylor Out and Dirt Road Anthem. He also sired Silk Lace Stakes winner Skys Little Spunk. He has sired 110 foals and 70 have gone to post with six of them pacing miles sub-1:53.
Driver: Blake Piwniuk (147-6-14-15, $62,934, 0.127 Udrs)
Trainer: Lorraine Rey (17-5-6-2, $28,318, 0.529 Utrs)
Sire: Spinfiniti
With 89 starts, Spinfiniti won 16 times and earned $239,281 in prize money. He started his racing career in Delaware in 2013 as a three-year-old after scratching out his only scheduled start as a rookie. However, it wouldn’t be until his four-year-old season where he earned his first win and he would win six of seven starts.
Spinfiniti would continue to race around Delaware and Pennsylvania until he made his first trip to Canada in 2015 where he would race at Woodbine Racetrack and Woodbine Mohawk Park. He would briefly move west to Alberta in 2016 and compete in the Open class before returning to Ontario to finish out his career.
Only three Spinfiniti foals have ever raced but all three have earned a win. The fastest winner of the bunch is This Girl Rules with her 1:53.4 win at Georgian Downs. This Girl Rules was the runner-up in the 2022 Manitoba Great Western Stakes and finished just behind Emmetts Buddy.