The Inside Track | Issue #149 | September 13, 2024 | |
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ASD Hours
- Open daily from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m.
- VLT machines are sanitized between use
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Only 5 Race Nights left
- Monday, September 16
- Tuesday, September 17
- Wednesday, September 18
- Monday, September 23
- Tuesday, September 24 - Final Night of Live Racing.
Racing starts at 7:30 p.m.
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Fan Appreciation Specials
Monday, September 23 & Tuesday, September 24
- Drink Specials: Molson Ultra $4, Fireball Shots $4
- Main Floor Concession Specials: Hot Dogs $4, Regular Popcorn $4, Regular Fries $4, Large Ice Cream $4
- ASD Programs $2, ASD Tip Sheets $.50 cents
- 25% Off Gift Shop Merchandise
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In this edition . . .
- What's happening at the Downs?
- Las Vegas Challenge Handicapping Tournament
- Free ASD Programs and more
- Win $500 Cash After Each Live Race Night
- There's always a Deal at ASD!
- Anderson Saddles 1,200th Career Winner
- Looking For a Special Photo?
- TravyFootball Week 2
- Carryover Watch
- Off-Track Betting Locations
- "I Won Bigg" Wagering Group
- A Snapshot in Time: Windsor Moon
- Moira Seeks First Grade 1 Win in E.P. Tayor
- Naval Power Headlines Woodbine Mile
- Five Del Mar 2-Year-Olds Worth Watching
- Bob's Blog: 4th Winningest Horse at the Downs
- Upcoming Events
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Upcoming Handicapping Tournaments
Las Vegas Challenge Tournaments:
- Las Vegas Challenge - Monday, Sept. 23
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
- Las Vegas Challenge - Monday, June 17 - Winner: Darcy Penner
- Las Vegas Challenge - Monday, July 8 - Winner: Brittany Jonatanson
- Las Vegas Challenge - Monday, August 12 - Winner: Ken Porter
- Las Vegas Challenge - Monday, September 2 - Winner: Paul Gray
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Assiniboia Downs Player Portal
Assiniboia Downs racing information in one convenient place!
Check out our Player Portal here
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HPI Bonuses
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Monday, Sept. 16 to Wednesday, Sept. 18 - Earn 3% cash back when you wager on Assiniboia Downs. Minimum wagered $100. Maximum cash back $25. ($2.10 payouts not included). All wagers must be placed on your HPIbet account and you must opt-in.
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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
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Spacious Area: Our gaming lounge provides ample room for you to relax and enjoy your gaming experience comfortably.
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Sanitization: VLT machines are sanitized between use.
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Great Customer Service: Our friendly staff is dedicated to providing top-notch service, ensuring your visit is enjoyable from start to finish.
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Licensed Lounge: Sip on your favourite drinks from our licensed lounge while you play.
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Food & Drink: Indulge in delicious food and drinks available right in the gaming lounge.
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Draws for $500 in the VLT Lounge every Race Night!
Every race night a draw for $500 Cash will be made in the VLT lounge at 11:30 p.m. during Crazy Hour!
Daily Draws for Cash
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Lucky Stars: Enter for a chance to pick a Lucky Star for up to $100 cash. Lucky Stars will be played at various times throughout the day/night.
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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!
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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, September 16 are on sale now!
- The 50/50 draw will be made each race night at 10 p.m.
- 1 ticket for $10, 10 for $20, 50 for $50, 200 for $100
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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.
- You don't have to be in attendance to claim your prize
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Winning ticket numbers are posted at 5050.ASDowns.com
- Manitoba Jockey Club LGCA-5630-RF-44247
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There's Always a Deal at ASD! | |
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$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!
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Live Racing Certified Angus Prime Rib Buffet | |
Enjoy our fabulous Certified Angus Prime Rib Buffet from the best view in the house!
Our Certified Angus Prime Rib Buffet is available every race night. The table is yours for the entire evening and includes complimentary racing programs and tip sheets.
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 remaining five race nights are SOLD OUT!
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Thanksgiving Buffet
Sunday, October 13 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
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Indulge in a mouthwatering array of traditional Thanksgiving favourites including roast turkey with gravy, baked ham in cream sauce, locally made perogies and meatballs plus all the trimmings, autumn vegetables, mashed potatoes and fresh salads. The dessert table features warm pie and ice cream, ASD’s bourbon bacon brownie and more!
- Adults - $39.95
- Seniors (65+) - $35.95
- Children 6 to 12 - $29.95
- Children 5 & under - $16.95
- Above prices are subject to taxes
Reservations are required. Call 204-885-3330 ext. 0
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At The Post with G.S. Thompson | |
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Trainer Carl Anderson Saddles 1,200th Winner
4-time Gold Cup winner one of the best on the grounds
| Sugar Daddy Jack (#2) and Luck Appeal (#1) battled early and battled late in the first race on Wednesday, which was won by Sugar Daddy Jack via a DQ, giving trainer Carl Anderson his 1,200th career win. Congratulations Carl! (Jason Halstead / Assiniboia Photo) | |
Monday's racing went off without a hitch, wildfire smoke forced the cancellation of Tuesday’s card after the first race, we were back in action on Wednesday with some super competitive tilts, including Race 1, which gave 79-year-old trainer Carl Anderson his 1,200th career win with Sugar Daddy Jack.
“That’s a lot of mornings at 4 a.m.” said the 79-year-old Anderson. “It’s hard to do.”
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Trainer Carl Anderson smiling in the winner's circle after one of his victories last year. (Jason Halstead / Assiniboia Photo) | |
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Considered one the best trainers on the grounds, especially with horses going a route of ground, Anderson grew up near Sturgeon Road in Winnipeg, started to walk horses at the track when he was 13, and took out his first trainer’s license at the age of 19.
Anderson went on to win an amazing 10 trainer titles in Saskatchewan from 1987 to 1998, and tied for the top spot at the Downs in 2009 with Tom Gardipy, Jr. A horsemen’s horseman, Anderson won Canada’s top trainer award in 1989 with 62 wins, and way back in 1969, he won four races on a card for Max Freed’s Maxwell King King Stable, but he’s probably best know by the veterans here as a four-time Gold Cup winner.
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Anderson has won the toughest race for older horses at the Downs with Black is Beautiful (1982), Secret Cipher (1983), Deputy Country (2004), and Albarino (2005). He has also won the R.J. Speers Memorial three times, and trained numerous champions including Manitoba-breds Brinello and McKague. Brinello won the Agassiz Stakes four years in a row and became Anderson’s leading earner with $251,244 US.
Anderson retired briefly from training in 2015, but missed the horses too much and came back to the track in 2020. He’s won 14 races this year, and he’s not done yet.
Neither are leading trainer Lee Delaronde and leading rider Prayven Badrie.
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Leading rider Prayven Badrie returns on Exchequer after winning the 7th race on Wednesday for trainer Mike Taphorn. (Jason Halstead / Assiniboia Photo) | |
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Badrie scored a hat trick on the week, and three-time champion Antonio Whitehall matched him, but Whitehall doesn’t look like he’ll be able to catch Badrie this year. Badrie leads all jockeys with 50 wins, 13 more than Damario Bynoe (37) and 14 more than Whitehall (36), with just five more live race days to go. Jockeys Rachaad Knights (26), Dario Dalrymple (17), and Renaldo Cumberbatch (24) also won a pair of races each on the week.
Cumberbatch won both his races for trainer Jamie Hartmann, who matched Lee Delaronde and Mike Nault, who won two apiece. Delaronde will not be caught in the trainer standings with 39 wins, 16 more than Mike Nault (23), followed by Jared Brown (20), Devon Gittens (20), Steve Keplin, Jr. (15), and Elton Dickey (15).
Neither Badrie nor Delaronde will be caught.
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Looking for a Special Photo of Your Big Horse or...?
Track Photographer Jason Halstead may have just what you're looking for
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Sheri Dulat and Lisa Rhodes head trackside for Race 1 at Assiniboia Downs on Wednesday. (Jason Halstead / Assiniboia Photo)
| Looking for that extra-special photo of your big horse, one you might not find in your win pictures? Track photographer Jason Halstead takes numerous photos during the races, and not all of them can make it into the win photos. If you’re looking for something frameable from your big race, or of your special horse, email Jason at jjhphoto@gmail.com. Prices are excellent! Almost as good as his photos 😊 | |
Top NFL Picks by TravyFootball Week 2
49ers over Vikings (Sunday noon): Even with Christian McCaffrey being a late scratch on Monday night (and he might be out for a little while longer), it had little effect on the 49ers beatdown of Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets. Backup running back Jordan Mason stepped up when handed the rock, rumbling for 147 yards and one touchdown. Now they will travel to Minneapolis to visit an old friend. Vikings QB Sam Darnold spent last season backing up Brock Purdy in San Francisco, so the two former teammates will face off against each other. If that wasn't enough of a reunion, current 49ers backup QB Josh Dobbs was the Vikings QB last season after Kirk Cousins went down with his injury. Minnesota didn't really have to break much of a sweat against the Giants last week but this Niners team is a much bigger, better, and nastier obstacle to overcome.
Chiefs over Bengals (Sunday afternoon): I'm not sure why the Bengals came out so flat at home against the lowly Patriots. I'm sure that loss ruined a lot of people's survivor pools right off the bat. Even though they were missing Tee Higgins, that's no excuse for only scoring 10 points. Joe Burrow looked average at best, and they didn't really have much of a run game. The duo of Zach Moss and Canadian Chase Brown only combined for 55 rushing yards on 12 attempts. The last team they want to see right now is the Chiefs, but unfortunately for them, Patrick Mahomes is next up on the schedule. Although it was literally a couple of toes away from going into overtime against the Ravens last week, Kansas City held on for a 27-20 win. Rookie speedster Xavier Worthy immediately made an impact, scoring on his first professional carry, and adding another touchdown later in the game.
Cowboys over Saints (Sunday noon): It was an interesting day for Dallas last Sunday.
They finally locked Dak Prescott into a long-term deal paying him a whopping $240 million over the next four years (that's $60 million a season!). With that no longer being a distraction, they then proceeded to beat the brakes off of the Cleveland Browns. If they didn't decide to take it easy in the second half, they might have scored 50 points. You know with Dallas, the biggest thing for them isn't the regular season, it's the playoffs, but since the playoffs are still many months away, the Cowboys can enjoy this early success. I don't know if this Saints team will actually be a test for them, seeing how they played an awful Panthers team last week, but we will find out.
One other thing, I watched the Cowboys/Browns game, not only because it was the only good game on in the afternoon, but I was interested to hear the debut of Tom Brady as a play-by-play man. He is receiving mixed reviews (mostly bad), but I thought he did okay. If people thought he was going to be John Madden right out of the gate, they need to lower their expectations. Like any new job, it's going to take time. I didn't become one of the best ASD mutuel sellers overnight, it took years and years! I do believe that in the long run Brady will become one of the better commentators to listen to.
Last week: 3-0
Overall: 3-0
| Watch and wager on world class racing from the comfort of your private carrel in our race book located on the 2nd level of the grandstand. The race book is open daily at 10 a.m. Can't make it to the track? Visit one of our partner locations listed below or wager at HPIbet.com. Click here for a list of tracks to wager on during the month of September. |
- Gulfstream (September 13) - Jackpot Pick 6 carryover $172,879
- Assiniboia Downs (September 16) - Jackpot Pick 5 carryover $167,720
See all carryovers here.
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Can't make it to the track to wager?
Watch and wager at one of our off-track betting locations:
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"I Won Bigg" Wagering Group | |
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The "I Won Bigg" wagering group will be meeting on the following dates through the end of September:
- Saturday, Sept. 14 at 10:30 a.m. - Featured tracks Woodbine and Los Alamitos QH
- Wednesday, Sept. 18 at 6:00 p.m. - Featured track Assiniboia Downs
- Saturday, Sept. 21 - No "I Won Bigg" workshop
- Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 6:00 p.m. - Featured track Assiniboia Downs
- Saturday, Sept. 28 at 10:30 a.m. - Featured tracks Woodbine and Santa Anita
Everyone is welcome. If you would like more information please email Larry.
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A Snapshot in Time
by Track Historian Bob Gates
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In 1971 Windsor Moon surprised them all. He was the long shot in the 6-horse field. The 5-year-old bay gelding had to survive a claim of foul, but rewarded his backers by paying $27.70, $9.90, 2.90 across the board. The winner’s circle was jammed to capacity with the owners, Hoarse Stable and their faithful. (Gerry Hart photo) | |
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2022 Canadian Horse of the Year tackles familiar rival Fev Rover, talented Euro foes
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Moira edges Fed Rover in Beverly D Stakes at Colonial Downs (Coady Media/Renee Torbit) | |
It's difficult to fathom how Canada's 2022 Horse of the Year Moira hasn't yet won a Grade 1 race yet, but that could happen this Saturday at Woodbine. Lining up for the third straight year, Moira is back for vengeance in the E. P. Taylor Stakes (G1), fresh off winning the Beverly D. Stakes (G2) at Colonial Downs. More from the Blood Horse here. | |
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Saturday card at Woodbine features numerous blockbuster stakes
| Rogers Woodbine Mile contender Naval Power arrives at Woodbine from Saratoga, NY. Owned by Godolphin LLC and trained by Charles Appleby, Naval Power will attempt to capture the $1 million race at Woodbine this Saturday. (Woodbine/ Michael Burns Photo) | Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby will send out Naval Power (GB) for the 37th Woodbine Mile, this year sponsored by Rogers, in search of their third straight win in the $1 million turf race. A son of Teofilo (Ire), Naval Power has won six of nine races in his career and since coming to North America in the spring has been second in two graded stakes. More from the Canadian Thoroughbred here. | |
Del Mar summer meeting could produce another Kentucky Derby winner
| Gaming was a decisive winner of the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity on closing day of the 2024 Del Mar summer meet. (BENOIT photo) | Two-year-olds who compete at Del Mar during the seaside track’s prestigious summer meet frequently go on to enjoy abundant racing success. The last dozen years have seen Kentucky Derby winners I’ll Have Another, California Chrome, American Pharoah, and Nyquist compete at Del Mar during the summer of their juvenile years. The same goes for 2023 Preakness Stakes victor National Treasure. With these horses in mind, J. Keeler Johnson looks at some emerging young stars. More from America's Best Racing here. | |
Bob's Blog
by ASD Historian Bob Gates
Well, this is the penultimate history blog story for the 2024 season. Only one more to go before we start up the Best of Bob for the off-season. Bob enlisted the help of Cam Ziprick and Bill Chabot to tell this story of one of the finest high-level claimers to ever run at the Downs. Hint: He was owned and trained by C.J. “Shorty” Gray for his entire career and ranks fourth on the Downs' all-time winningest horse leaderboard. Click here to learn the identity of this gelded son of Affiliate and read his life story.
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Upcoming events at ASD
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Lucky Stars - Daily draws for cash at various times throughout the day - more info
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Lucky Spins - Friday, Saturday & Sunday from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. - more info
- Live Racing Monday, September 16, Tuesday, September 17 & Wednesday, September 18 at 7:30 p.m.
- MICEC Monster Bingo - Saturday, September 21 - more info
- Live Racing Monday, September 23 & Tuesday, September 24 - more info
- Draw for $500 Cash after each live race night in the VLT Lounge - more info
- Las Vegas Challenge Tournament - Monday, September 23 - more info
- Grand Truck Vintage & Nostalgia Show - Saturday, September 28 - more info
- Thanksgiving Buffet - Sunday, October 13 - more info
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The Inside Track Archives | Did you know that past issues of The Inside Track are available on our website? Click here to read them now. | |
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