Amid Olympics fever sweeping the racetrack, Assiniboia Downs has announced its live racing dates and stakes schedule for this spring and summer.
Coming off a highly successful 2009 live season that saw a 30 per cent increase in wagering, the Downs will continue to offer racing on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday nights at 7:00 p.m., with additional racing at 1:00 p.m. on holidays and selected Sundays. The 65-day meet begins on Mother’s Day Sunday, May 9, and concludes Sunday, Sept. 26.
“We tried to strike a balance among competing interests, ” said Darren Dunn, director of operations and track announcer. On the one hand, he said, there was “tremendous momentum established last year” in the Downs selling its signal to other tracks, helping pools grow and become more attractive to local bettors. On the other hand, he said, seniors and families have asked for more afternoon racing and, to that end, there is additional Sunday racing. Besides afternoon post times for all four holidays, there is Sunday racing on Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, on the August Derby weekend and on the final card of the meet.
The stakes schedule is similar to last year, with $1.12 million in purse money being offered in 30 races. The showcase Manitoba Lotteries Derby with $75,000 at stake will be staged on holiday Monday, Aug. 2.
Last year, the Downs new racing schedule was popular with players throughout North America, especially Wednesdays. Wednesday racing drew total wagering often in excessive of $200,000 compared to Sunday afternoon race cards from the previous season that often didn’t reach $100,000. Wagering is expected to grow even more as other tracks become more familiar with Assiniboia Downs.
Horses will begin returning to the Downs later this month, with the indoor Equi-Ciser scheduled to open Monday, Feb. 22, at 8 a.m.
Meanwhile, Olympic fever has struck the track because of major installations in the Race Book and high-profile “Winter Games” contests being staged at the west Winnipeg facility. The track will award $500 to the person who correctly predicts Canada’s medal count during the Games. And every time Canada scores a medal, whether it’s gold, silver or bronze, two draws will be held at the track to award cash and Olympic souvenirs. People can enter the prediction contest on the Downs’ website at www.ASDowns.com.
Billing itself “Your Olympic Games Viewing Headquarters,” the Downs this week replaced its old large TVs with 14 giant flat-screen TVs and will offer Olympic Games coverage in high-def side-by-side with horse racing from major racing jurisdictions such as California, Florida and New York. Everyone who wins in a horseplayer contest or at freeroll poker will receive Olympic keepsakes in addition to the usual prizes. The most important prize–a sterling silver Olympic coin–will be the bonus award to the most outstanding horseplayer during the Games in a tournament held on Louis Riel Day, holiday Monday Feb. 15.
Olympic festivities will be launched amid plenty of fanfare, hoopla and souvenir giveaways on Friday, Feb. 12, the opening day of the Games.
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