The 73rd Manitoba Derby will be run Monday August 2 at Assiniboia Downs in Winnipeg and the race value returns to $100,000. The 1 1/8 mile dirt race is for 3-year-olds and 12 American-breds have been entered.
One of North America’s winningest trainers, ROBERTINO DIODORO, might have received his next Derby winner from a sale just two weeks ago. Diodoro, who has won three of the last five Manitoba Derbys, is the newest trainer for MYOPIC, who was bought by Clayton Weist for $200,000 on July 12 at the Fasig Tipton Horses of Racing Age Sale at Saratoga from SF Bloodstock, the breeder. The colt had been trained by Bob Baffert for his first two races and then recently by Rodolphe Brisset who sent him out to win his maiden by six lengths at Indiana Grand with an 85 Beyer Figure on June 23.
True North Thoroughbreds’ FLASH OF GLORY won the Derby Trial on July 12 at one mile with a late gasp rally from off the pace. He edged longshot Witts Taquito and Warriors Hero in that race with a 51 Beyer Figure while multiple stakes winner City Champ was fatally injured.
ETU BABOU is improving for trainer Cal Britton with a 60 Beyer Figure in his latest when a closing third in an optional race at one mile. Shelley Brown, a leading trainer in Manitoba, sends out recent maiden winner Midnight Salute who figures to relish the longer distance and from British Columbia, Uncharacteristic comes off a second-place finish in an allowance race at 1 1/16 miles.
There will also be a mandatory payout of the Jackpot Pick 5 pool which will have a minimum $1 million guaranteed payout if there is a single winner. The jackpot pool going into the program is $327,526 and the pool may exceed $1 million by the time the pool closes, according to a release from the Downs. Tickets are only $0.20 to select the winners of each of the last five races of the program.
Post Positions for the Manitoba Derby
1 COZY BEAR
Owners: Deltin Stable and Ed Welsh
Trainer: Tom Rycroft l Jockey: Andre Martin
Probable Odds 20-1
Commissioner – Gia Is a Bella by Unusual Heat
Bred in California by Rising Star Farm LLC
2 STONE CAFE
3 Year Old – Chestnut – Gelding
Owners: Henry S. Witt, Jr.
Trainer: Jerry Gourneau l Jockey: Leroy Nelson
Probable odds: 25-1
Pedigree: Stonesider – Santacafe by Early Flyer
Bred in Texas by Douglas Scharbauer
3 MYOPIC
3 Year Old – Bay – Colt
Owners: Arnold Bennewith, Rick Wiest, Clayton Wiest, Lana Wiest,
Randy Howg, R6 Stables and Gary Kropp
Trainer: Robertino Diodoro l Jockey: Jorge Carreno
Probable odds: 8-5
Pedigree: Candy Ride (ARG) – Spokeswoman by Unbridled’s Song
Bred in Kentucky by SF Bloodstock LLC
4 WITT’S TAQUITO
3 Year Old – Dark Bay – Gelding
Owners: Henry S. Witt, Jr.
Trainer: Jerry Gourneau l Jockey: Rafael Zenento, Jr.
Probable odds: 15-1
Pedigree: Drums of Thunder – Chromedoll by Dixieland Heat
Bred in Texas by Henry S. Witt, Jr.
5 UNCHARACTERISTIC
3 Year Old – Grey or Roan – Gelding
Owners: Adam Isfeld
Trainer: Robert VanOverschot l Jockey: Alexander Marti
Probable odds: 6-1
Pedigree: Texas Wildcatter – My Kentucky Rose by Macho Uno
Bred in Kentucky by Glen Todd
6 ETU BABOU
Owners: Lloyd Dietz and Calvin Britton
Trainer: Calvin Britton l Jockey: Neville Stephenson
Probable odds: 30-1
Pedigree: Speightster – Etoufee by Tabasco Cat
Bred in Kentucky by Melinda Smith Pegasus Stud, LLC
7 MAJOR SHEPARD
3 Year Old – Dark Bay – Gelding
Owners: Kenneth C. Amthor
Trainer: K. Gordon Amthor l Jockey: Richard Mangalee
Probable odds: 20-1
Pedigree: Trappe Shot – Heather’s Feather by Dixie Union
Bred in Kentucky by Kenneth Carl Amthor
8 YEROSILVERBIZ
3 Year Old – Grey or Roan – Gelding
Owners: Martin Yeroschak
Trainer: Devon Gittens l Jockey: Kayla Pizarro
Probable odds: 30-1
Pedigree: Fed Biz – Street Sailing by Street Boss
Bred in Florida by Destiny Oaks of Ocala
9 WARRIORS HERO
3 Year Old – Dark Bay – Gelding
Owners: Purple Rose Ranch and John Ganas
Trainer: Steven Gaskin l Jockey: Antonio Whitehall
Probable odds: 10-1
Pedigree: Boisterous – Warrior Princess by Warrior’s Reward
Bred in California by Tommy Town Thoroughbreds, LLC
10 FLASH OF GLORY
Owners: True North Thoroughbreds
Trainer: Michael Nault l Jockey: Stanley Chadee, Jr.
Probable odds: 8-1
Pedigree: Point of Entry – Sandi’s Ready by More Than Ready
Bred in Kentucky by PT Syndicate #1
11 MISTER SNICKERS
Owners: Martin Miller
Trainer: Jared Brown l Jockey: Nyrone Austin
Probable odds: 50-1
Pedigree: Empire Maker – Sis City by Slew City Slew
Bred in Kentucky by Empire Maker Syndicate & Catherine Parke
12 MIDNIGHT SALUTE
3 Year Old – Dark Bay – Gelding
Owners: Shelley Brown, Steve Holborn, Cristina C. Belle and Dean Brown
Trainer: Shelley Brown l Jockey: Sheldon Chickeness
Probable odds: 25-1
Pedigree: Midnight Lute – Holiday Moon by Harlan’s Holiday
Bred in Kentucky by Hill n Dale Farm, Jay Ar Dee Stables & TCR Ranch
MEDIA KIT here.
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