Assiniboia Downs’ 68th Thoroughbred season opens Tuesday, May 13, the first of 50 race dates at the Winnipeg track.
According to Daily Racing Form, the track has “lowered the takeout on a host of wagers and will have many of the lowest rates in Canada this year. Win wagering is 14.65 percent, and place has been lowered by two percent to 17.95 percent. Daily double, exacta, pick three, and the ASD Jackpot Pick 5 are all down one percent to 19.95. The popular Pick Four remains at 15.95 percent, and show betting stays at 19.95 percent.”
Last year’s leading trainer, Lee Delaronde, who substituted for Jerry Gourneau when that trainer was suspended for a drug overage for six months and then went to train in the US, now only has nine horses this year, according to the Winnipeg Free Press. Trainers who look to take over the title include six-time leading trainer Tom Gardipy Jr., Jared Brown, Carl Anderson, Steve Keplin Jr., Mike Taphorn, Mike Nault, Lise Pruitt, Devon Gittens, and Sherri Laing.
The highlight of the meeting will be the $125,000 Manitoba Derby sponsored by Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries, which takes place on Monday, Aug. 4, as the first leg of the Western Canadian Derby Series, which offers a $100,000 bonus to any horse that can sweep the Manitoba Derby, the $200,000 Canadian Derby at Century Mile, and the $125,000 BC Derby at Hastings Racecourse.
Assiniboia’s General manager Darren Dunn told DRF, ““We have consistently worked on this process over many years to now achieve across-the-board rates that are only 19.95 [percent] or lower,” Assiniboia Downs CEO Darren Dunn said. “We also tiered the win, place, and show levels to reward risk-taking. We believe that we needed to do everything we can to create churn, while also trying our best to compete in the hyper-competitive gaming environment in which we exist – especially against the backdrop of the growing sports-wagering markets.”
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