Live Horse Racing at ASD Begins in Only 3 Days!

2024 Racing Season begins Monday, May 20 at 7:30 p.m.

Live racing on opening night will feature Indian Horse Relay Racing in conjunction with the Manito Ahbee Festival. (Winnipeg Free Press)

There are only three days left until the opening night of live horse racing at ASD on Monday, May 20!

The initial two weeks of the Season will feature live racing on Monday and Tuesday with the first race scheduled for 7:30 pm after which we will resume our regular Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday schedule.

Live racing on opening night will feature Indian Horse Relay Racing in conjunction with the Manito Ahbee Festival. The Indian Horse Relay Races will take place during the evenings' race card. To work with the timing and presentation of the Indian Horse Relay Races, six thoroughbred races are carded for opening night instead of the usual seven, but these races feature some of the best horses on the grounds! Three high-priced Allowance/Optional claiming races and a Maiden Special Weight are among these outstanding races.

As well, there will be FREE family fun activities including bouncy castles, face painting, and live entertainment for the kids.

Wagering highlights this season include a Guaranteed $25,000 $1 Pick 4 on the last four races, a .20 cent Jackpot Pick 5 on the last five races, and the $1 Classic Hi-5 which, will carry over to the next pool if not won. And for our loyal Twitter (X) fans, we'll add extra content during the live races including a picks contest!

Fans can send in their pick on Twitter (X) for the 5th race each night, and it might be featured on ASD Live. They need to use the hashtag #capwithkirtandstretch and include their name, location, and why they like the horse. If their tweet is featured we will send them a Kirt and Stretch ASD autographed cap.

We'll have a nightly drawing for the VIP Fan of the Night, which rewards one lucky fan with a $25 wagering voucher, a Kirt & Stretch autographed ASD ball cap, the opportunity to watch Kirt call the fourth race from the Press Box, and to watch the fifth race from the Winner’s Circle. To top it all off, the winner will receive a framed commemorative photo of the Winner’s Circle presentation!

There will also be a 50/50 draw each race night. The 50/50 tickets for opening night are on sale now here, and the proceeds will benefit Final Furlong and the Winners Foundation.

See you Monday!

Youngsters getting ready for opening night at Assiniboia Downs on Monday. (George Williams)

ASD Hours

• Open daily from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m.
• VLT machines are sanitized between use
• Please note that ASD will open at 8:45 a.m. on Saturday, May 18th for the Preakness Stakes

2024 Live Race Dates

• Monday, May 20 to Tuesday, September 17 - click here for schedule

In this edition . . .

• What's happening at the Downs?
• There's always a Deal at ASD!
• They Run For Love
• Kevin Arnst Wins Player's Choice
• 2024 Condition Book #1
• 2024 Shipping Incentive Program
• Best Kentucky Derby Handicapping Ever?
• Looking For a Special Photo?
• Carryover Watch
• Off-Track Betting Locations
• "I Won Bigg" Wagering Group
• A Snapshot In Time: Sonora Cisco
• Mystik Dan Favoured in 149th Preakness
• Legendary Dettori Rides in His First Preakness
• Imagination Poses Threat to Mystik Dan
• Bob's Blog
• Upcoming Events

Upcoming Handicapping Tournaments

Las Vegas Challenge Tournaments:

• Las Vegas Challenge - Monday, June 17
• Las Vegas Challenge - Monday, July 8
• Las Vegas Challenge - Monday, July 29
• Las Vegas Challenge - Monday, August 19
• Las Vegas Challenge - Monday, September 16

PRIZES: The tournament winner receives a trip for two to Las Vegas and a trophy (the winner will be provided $3,500 to book their trip to Las Vegas). Second place finisher will receive a $500 deposit to their HPI account, the third place finisher will receive a $250 deposit to their HPI account.

Entry fee into the Las Vegas Challenge is $50 but can be reduced by qualifying on Assiniboia Downs’ race cards leading up to the tournament. To qualify you must select the horse that you think will win each race on the Assiniboia Downs race card. Email your selections for that race night to Sheri at sherig@ASDowns.com prior to the start of racing. If you select three winners on the race card, your entry fee is reduced to $25. For every other race card that you select three winners on your entry fee is reduced by another $5. 

2024 Tournament Winners:

• Player's Choice - Saturday, January 20 - Winner: Ron Phelps
• Player's Choice - Saturday, February 17 - Winner: Trevor Phelps
• Player's Choice - Saturday, March 16 - Winner: Don Allard
• Player's Choice - Saturday, April 13 - Winner: Myron Fedoruk
• Player's Choice - Saturday, May 11 - Winner: Kevin Arnst

Club West Gaming Lounge

Join us today in the Club West Gaming Lounge and discover why we're the ultimate destination for VLT entertainment in the area!

Premier Amenities:

• Spacious Area: Our gaming lounge provides ample room for you to relax and enjoy your gaming experience comfortably.
• Sanitization: VLT machines are sanitized between use.
• Great Customer Service: Our friendly staff is dedicated to providing top-notch service, ensuring your visit is enjoyable from start to finish.
• Licensed Lounge: Sip on your favourite drinks from our licensed lounge while you play.
• Food & Drink: Indulge in delicious food and drinks available right in the gaming lounge.

Daily Draws:

• Lucky Stars: Monday to Friday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Enter for a chance to pick a Lucky Star for up to $100 cash.
• Lucky Spins: Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Enter for a chance to win $20 in free VLT spins. Keep what you win!

This Season we will be featuring a 50/50 draw every race night with proceeds benefiting Final Furlong and the Winners Foundation. 50/50 tickets for Monday, May 20th go on sale Friday, May 17th.

• The 50/50 draw will be made each race night at 10 p.m.
• 1 ticket for $10, 3 for $20, 50 for $50, 200 for $100
• Tickets can be purchased from the VLT cashier’s cage, Guest Services, from the designated 50/50 seller or online at 5050.ASDowns.com
• Ticket sales close at 9:50 p.m.
• Manitoba Jockey Club LGCA-5630-RF-44247

HPI Bonuses

• 2% Cash Back Preakness Special - Wager $100 or more on any track on Saturday, May 18 and get 2% cash back. Minimum wagered $100. Maximum cash back $25. Must opt-in at HPIbet.com.
• 3% Cash Back ASD Special - Wager $40 or more on Assiniboia Downs Monday, May 20 and Tuesday, May 21 and get 3% cash back. Minimum wagered $40. Maximum cash back $100. Must opt-in at HPIbet.com.

$11.95 Daily Lunch Specials

Enjoy breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks from our Club West Dining Room menu or try our ever changing $11.95 lunch special.

Along with our fantastic lunch specials, we also offer happy hour food and drink specials and weekend food deals. Click here to find out more!

Special Offer! $10 off Live Racing Certified Angus Prime Rib Buffet

To celebrate live racing, we are offering $10 off our Certified Angus Prime Rib buffet on Monday, May 20, Tuesday, May 21,

Monday, May 27 & Tuesday, May 28

Reserve your table today for our renowned Certified Angus Prime Rib buffet. Live racing and a prime rib buffet - it doesn't get much better than that!

Buffet highlights include signature Certified Angus prime rib of beef carvery, seafood table featuring jumbo shrimp and salmon, fresh salads and side dishes prepared with locally grown vegetables.

Rotating entree selections of tender grilled chicken, crispy fried fish, sticky BBQ ribs, roasted meats and artisan sausages.

Dessert table features warm fresh baked pies and your choice of ice cream plus cheesecakes, tortes and our famous bourbon bacon brownie.

The table is yours for the entire evening and includes complimentary racing programs and tip sheets.

Adults - $54.95, Seniors (65+) - $49.95, Children 6 to 12 - $32.95, Children 5 & under - $19.95

Reservations are required. Call 204-885-3330 and mention the promo code LIVE10 to receive this special offer!

Click here for our 2024 racing schedule.

They Run For Love

Racehorses can be conditioned to run fast and far, but love and imagination is what makes them want to win for their grooms, owners, trainers, and breeders

Owner/breeder Violetta Adamczyk has treats and a kiss for her filly Jumilla in trainer Jared Brown's barn.  (George Williams)

One thing was clear on my Thursday morning walk around in the backstretch at Assiniboia Downs. The people here love their horses.

You’d be hard-pressed to find any horses anywhere that are treated better than those in the backstretch of our proud prairie track, and that’s one of the main reasons they want to win – they do it for the people who care for them.

Sure you can condition a horse to run fast and far, but imagination and love will make them go to war for you. Hall of Fame trainer H. Allen Jerkens knew it, and he rewarded his best grooms for going that extra mile with their horses, both mentally and physically.

Sometimes he’d take horses out for walks at evening feed time, just to talk to them, and sometimes he’d give them pep talks. His son Jimmy would do it before their races too. Jerkens beat champion Secretariat twice, Kelso three times, and a host of other champions including Buckpasser, Riva Ridge, Forego and so many more, with previously ordinary horses. That earned him the nickname The Giant Killer, which he never really liked, but it stuck.

Jerkens never bragged about any of his accomplishments either. When he won an Eclipse Award for the Greatest Year Ever by a trainer in 1973, his acceptance speech consisted of two words. “Thank You.”

“Allen seems to know the horses’ feelings,” said his longtime owner Jack Dreyfus in this article written for the BloodHorse by Steve Haskin. “He puts himself in their place and they seem to know this and do their best for him. It’s simply magnificent the things he can get some horses to do for him.”

Hannah Kraychuk has been grooming horses for trainer Jared Brown for four years. She loves her work. And her horses. (George Williams)

The mark of a great trainer is not what they do with the elite talents or horses that outclass their rivals, nor is it based on statistics and standings, but rather on how much they can coax out of the ordinary. This requires love, empathy, and spending time with the horses.

We’ve got a fabulous group of talented horses running on Monday night at the Downs in six races. Take the time to go look at them in the paddock before they run and you are going to see some gorgeous looking animals who have received the best care imaginable.

There will only be one winner in each race, but there will be a number of horses that try as hard as they can to make it to the winner’s circle for their grooms, trainers, owners, and breeders.

On the Saturday preceding live racing, we’ll have the great privilege of watching Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan try to win the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Maryland, with proud Manitoba blood coursing through his veins. The sire of Mystik Dan is Goldencents, who is out of the Manitoba-bred mare Golden Works, a daughter of multiple Manitoba-bred champion Body Works, and the granddaughter of Kinto, one of the first horses the late Phil Kives ever brought to Manitoba.

Kives and his K5 Stable bred Body Works and Golden Works, and people associated with these horses along the way included Manitoba horse people Don and Lorna Gray, Tanya Lindsay, Leona Stahl and so many more.

Jerry Gourneau's assistant trainer Madison Tirk gives a hug and gets a nuzzle. (George Williams)

For the second time in three years, Manitoba-bred horses have contributed heavily to the pedigree of the Kentucky Derby winner. The 80-1 winner of the Derby in 2022 was Rich Strike, who is out of the Manitoba-bred mare Gold Strike. Good, kind-hearted horse people from Manitoba are a big reason for these Kentucky Derby success stories.

Whether Mystik Dan wins or loses on Saturday in the Preakness Stakes, Manitoba horse people should be immensely proud when they attend the annual HBPA/CTHS Awards Celebration on Saturday night. They all love their horses.

And it shows.

Kevin Arnst wins May Player's Choice Tourney with Big Number

First win in handicapping tournament for self-taught handicapper

Normally it takes around $120 to win the Player’s Choice Tournament. Kevin Arnst blew that number away with his win last Saturday, as did second-place finisher Myron Fedoruk.

Both were well ahead of the pack of about 50 hungry handicappers.

Arnst built his $60 bankroll to $144.00 to defeat Fedoruk ($133.00) by eleven dollars, followed by Herman Yuen ($86.70), Brad Ostrove ($86.00), and Keith MacLennan ($84.50), to take home the $1,000 first prize and a trophy. It was his first win ever in the tournament.

“I lost by 10 cents once during the summer,” said Arnst, who has been playing in the tournaments for over five years. “And I was close another time too.”

Arnst nailed five winners on the day while playing at Belmont, Churchill Downs, and Gulfstream Park.

“I think my biggest winner was nine or ten to one,” said Arnst, who takes a comprehensive approach to his handicapping. “I just try to find value, whether it be a speed horse, a closer, a jockey/trainer combo, how a horse runs at that specific track. I know that came into play on one of my picks.”

The 51-year-old federal employee plays whenever he can but his time is limited. Last Saturday’s tournament was his third of the year, from the five that have been held so far.

“I've got kids at home, so it's tough on a Saturday to dedicate the entire day to it,” said Arnst, who was born in Saskatchewan, grew up in Brandon, and has now lived in Winnipeg for 30 years.

“With the family and everything, if I can get out to the track maybe two or three times a year, that's great,” said Arnst. “But I'm playing regularly during the summer. I’ve probably been at it for 30 years.”

So what did his wife think of his big win?

“She was pretty happy,” said Arnst. “You know, as I'm screaming at the TV for my horse to come in, and she's interested.” 

Arnst learned how to handicap by doing it, but also says he has a friend who was quite knowledgeable.

“I'll pick his brain,” said Arnst. “But for the most part, it's kind of been trial and error. A long time ago I was a mutuel seller, so I learned something about racing that way. And then I just picked it up on my own. I look at the program, try and figure out how the race will play out based on Past Performances, and then go from there. I don't use any calculations or numbers. I look at everything as a whole.”

Arnst says he likes to play horses at least 3-1 or better. “It's hard to get winners,” he said.

But he had five last Saturday, so what’s the real secret?

“I'm not the guy to be asking advice of, but it's fun,” said Arnst. “I enjoy it. If you have time and you’re a regular horse player, I’d suggest getting in on the tournaments. Especially during the live racing.”

Plans for his winnings? The new patio furniture they just bought.

Summertime score!

Download a copy of Condition Book #1 here or click on the image above.

Can't make it to the track to wager?

Watch and wager at one of our off-track betting locations:

• Canad Inns Windsor Park - 1034 Elizabeth Road
• Green Brier Inn - 1611 Main Street
• Rookies at Central Hotel - 201 Melrose Avenue East
• Quest Inn - 367 Ellice Avenue
• McPhillips Station Casino - 484 McPhillips Street
• Club Regent Casino - 1425 Regent Ave W
• Nor-Villa Motor Hotel - 1763 Henderson Hwy
• Club 3D - 3317 Portage Avenue
• Wager 24/7 at HPIbet.com

Outriders in the Storm

Outriders flank trainer Tiffany Husbands on a misty Thursday morning at ASD. (George Williams)

"I Won Bigg" Wagering Group

Join the "I Won Bigg" wagering group on the Clubhouse plaza this Saturday at 10:30 a.m. The wagering group is open to everyone. The group will play Pimlico and Santa Anita this week. $20 per share. If you would like more information please email Larry.

Twenty years ago, on May 2, 2004, Sonora Cisco won the Don Gray Memorial for trainer Mel Davis and owner M. W. Davis, with Alan Cuthbertson in the saddle. The 2024 season begins on Monday, May 20th and the first race on the card marks the 31st running of the race that bears the name of the late, great trainer Don Gray. Where does the time go? (Gerry Hart Photo)

UPDATE: 149th Preakness: Mystik Dan Favoured, Muth Out

Kentucky Derby winner is back to take on one Bob Baffert runner. Muth scratched.

Mystik Dan at Pimlico. (Preakness Stakes photo)

Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mystik Dan continues to train to former standout jockey Robby Albarado’s expectations, meaning each day is better than the last as the colt prepares for Saturday’s 149th Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course. Can the horse with a strong dose of Manitoba breeding do it again? We hope so! More from the Canadian Thoroughbred here.

Legendary Frankie Dettori Rides In His First Preakness Stakes

Dettori to talk to Maryland-based rider Feargal Lynch about Pimlico oval

Mystik Dan, the Derby winner, returned to the track on Wednesday. (Preakness Stakes photo)

Legendary jockey Frankie Dettori, who has excelled on the international stage while also winning 15 Breeders’ Cup races in the U.S., longs to add another notable triumph to his impressive riding resume: a win in a Triple Crown event. The 53-year-old reinsman figures to have his best shot at doing just that Saturday when he rides Imagination in the Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico. More from the Paulick Report here.

At a Glance: Imagination Poses a Threat in Preakness

America's Best Racing's Bob Ehalt handicaps the Preakness Stakes (G1)

Imagination heads to the track for morning exercise at Pimlico Race Course. (Skip Dickstein / BloodHorse)

A fever knocked morning-line favourite Muth out of the Preakness Stakes (G1) on Saturday, enhancing the chances of Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan. Though with Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, an eight-time winner of the Preakness, still having a starter in Imagination, the path to a sweep will be adventurous to say the least. More from the BloodHorse here.

Upcoming events at ASD

• Lucky Stars - Monday to Friday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. - more info
• Lucky Spins - Friday, Saturday & Sunday from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. - more info
• Live Racing begins Victoria Day - Monday, May 20 at 7:30 p.m. - more info
• MB Food Truck Battles - Saturday, May 25 & Sunday, May 26 - more info
• Western Canada Rib Fest - Friday, May 31 to Sunday, June 2 - more info
• Manitoba Night Market & Festival - Sunday, June 9 - more info