by George Big payoffs were the order of the night at the Downs on Wednesday, capped by $47 winner Orville Got Even in the seventh race, which triggered a Pick-4 carryover of $3,488 when nobody held a winning ticket. Only two favourites won on Wednesday, Adorci ($4.20)...
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Remembering Lexico, Canada Day and Foolish Pleasure
by Bob This Sunday marks the 36th running of the Canada Day Stakes. These days the race is for fillies and mares 3-and-up, who will compete for a $30,000 purse, but this race wasn’t always for fillies and mares. That restriction has evolved over the years, as has the...
Danger Rules Wires Frank Arnason Field, Carryover Pick-4 Weighed Down by Favourites
by George The Frank Arnason Sire Stakes probably wasn’t as close as it looked and the Pick-4 still paid decent despite being weighed down by favourites on a beautiful Saturday afternoon of racing at ASD. Heavily favoured Danger Rules went to the lead early in the...
Longshot Plus Ultra Wins Chantilly Stakes, Sets Up $4,364 Carryover for Saturday Pick-4
by George Plus Ultra made all the running under jockey Tyrone Nelson to win the $30,000 Chantilly Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on Friday night at the Downs and made sure there were no winners in the Pick-4 when she paid $26.90 to win. Opening a short lead early, Plus...
Friday Pick-5 Looks Playable – And Winnable
by Rob Bob’s weekly piece featured the $25,000 Frank Arnason Sire Stakes and the history of that race. I will leave the history to him and concentrate instead on this year’s rendition of the race for 3-year-old Manitoba-breds, which goes as the seventh race on...
Memories of A. E. “Bert” Blake in this week’s Insider Newsletter
by George First, my sincere condolences to the family and friends of the late A. E. “Bert” Blake – a friend, a true gentleman and a tremendous horseman who unselfishly taught so many people so much. I worked for Bert in the ‘80s and spent good bit of time with him...
The Passing of a Legend — Albert Edward “Bert” Blake — June 29, 1919 – June 19, 2012
by Bob I guess deep down I knew that one day it would happen, but honestly, the news hit me harder than I expected – Albert Edward “Bert” Blake passed away today, 10 days short of his 93rd birthday. Mr. Blake, and I apologize, I can’t bring myself to call him anything...
Frank Arnason Sire Stakes — Listen
by Bob This Saturday’s feature race is the 25th running of the Frank Arnason Sire Stakes. The race is for Manitoba bred 3-year-olds over a distance of 6 furlongs for a purse of $25,000. The winner of the inaugural running of the Frank Arnason in 1988 was Hazel...
Schillerthekiller makes Big Move in Mud to win 2012 Free Press Stakes
by George Schillerthekiller went from last to first with a big move on the turn and drew out to win the $30,000 Free Press Stakes on Sunday in front of the largest Father’s Day crowd seen at Assiniboia Downs in decades. The fans began streaming into the Downs around...
Lone Bettor wins $4,495 Pick-4 on Muddy Saturday Afternoon at Downs
by George The track was muddy but the odds were great on a sunny Saturday afternoon at the Downs, and someone took home $4,495 as the lone winning ticket holder on the Pick-4. The day started off with a bang when $25 winner Sharp A held on to win by a neck under...