Assiniboia Downs in Winnipeg, Manitoba, had a record-breaking season in 2020 for wagering, attracting many new fans of its racing due in part to its early start during the year of the Covid-19 pandemic, week-night scheduling, and a creative approach to a cyber-meet by its team led by track boss Darren Dunn.
The track has held on to a lot of those new fans in 2021 as wagering remains strong, comparatively to 2019, despite the significant hurdles of a sparse jockey colony and working out how to boost its on-track fan population, when fans are allowed. Currently, only dining reservations are allowed at Assiniboia as Manitoba has yet to open up to allow for spectators or for the VLT casino to open.
However, more than $750,000 was wagered on the July 12 evening card of seven races (a similar weekday evening in 2019 had about $300,000 in wagering) fueled by Pick 5 and Pick 4 wagers that continue to grow in popularity, The Pick 5 jackpot is only won if there is only a single winning ticket on the sequence. Winners of the wager get a payoff and the remainder of the money is carried over. For the July 13 card, the carryover is up to $189,000.
The track has had its fair share of stars in stakes races this season including the unbeaten MELISANDRE who is seven-for-seven after her win on July 5 in the Hazel Wright Sire Stakes. Melisandre (Going Command – High Pioneer by Pioneering) is the latest Manitoba-bred sensation from the Cam Ziprick, Charles Fouillard and Barry Arnason breeding program (such as champion Escape Clause). The sleek chestnut filly races for Pat Beavis’s True North Thoroughbreds and Arnason and is trained by Lise Pruitt (see feature article here).
The same team sent out Manitoba-bred IMPRESSIVE SENSE to win the Frank Arnason Sires Stakes last week.
The Manitoba Derby, with a purse increase to $100,000 this year, is set for Monday, August 2, and on July 12, the $35,600 Derby Trial was run at one mile. The field of six was led by the streaking CITY CHAMP, undefeated in three races at Assiniboia since being claimed for $12,500 by Wind Dancer Stable and Bill Meikle. Trained by Wendy Anderson, City Champ had won the Proven Reserve Overnight and the Golden Boy Stakes and was 3-to-5 for the Derby Trial.
But early in the race, City Champ took a bad step and jockey Neville Stephenson fell off and it appeared City Champ was severely injured.
At the end of the Derby Trial it was 11-to-1 shot FLASH OF GLORY (Point of Entry) who won by a neck over 18-to-1 Witt’s Taquito. Flash of Glory is owned by True North Thoroughbreds and trained by Michael Nault. It was the gelding’s third career win and first since True North and Nault received the horse from Don Schnell. At the time of this writing there had been no update on the status of City Champ.
City Champ with trainer Wendy Anderson and groom Jaydean Lamothe – Assiniboia Downs photo
More from Horses:
