Training for the 55th season of live horse racing at Assiniboia Downs begins Thursday with the opening of the training track and the indoor Equiciser. That is about two months from the kick-off date of the live race season which is Sunday, May 6, the day after the Kentucky Derby.
“We are essentially the first sport in Manitoba to open training camp,” said CEO and race-announcer Darren Dunn. “We expect approximately 100 horses to be on-site ready to start galloping on our training track or using our unique indoor Equiciser. They come from local farms in the province. That should quickly grow to about 300 local horses by the end of March before horses start to be shipped in from across Canada and the United States. This influx will see our stable area grow to approximately 750 horses for the start of our live race season.”
Of special interest to many race fans is the arrival of Jon’s Golden Run, the horse named for the Olympic gold-medal achievement of Jon Montgomery. Both were born in Russell, Manitoba. Jon’s Golden Run was wintered in Laurier, Manitoba, at the farm of his trainer, Emile Corbel. The colt came off an Olympian year by horse standards, capping it off by winning the top race for 2-year-old Manitoba-breds, the $50,000 Buffalo Stakes.
The question now is: How much has the colt matured over the winter and will he possibly even have the talent to compete against the best 3-year-olds shipped in for the Manitoba Lotteries Derby in August? Even if he doesn’t, there are a number of big stakes races for Manitoba-bred 3-year-olds.
The race season lasts 60 days with racing taking place primarily Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evening at 7 p.m., with occasional Sunday afternoons such as opening day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and closing day. And there will be afternoon racing on all holiday Mondays. Post time for afternoon racing is 1 p.m.
More than $1 million in stakes races will be featured throughout the season, the highlight of which will be the $75,000 Manitoba Lotteries Derby on the first Monday in August.
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