Balooga Bull looking forward to $30,000 Free Press Stakes rematch with Pleasant Closing on Father's Day.
Two tough bulls featured in stellar Father’s Day racing card
by George
Can you ride a bull? No, not a real one, a mechanical one? Sure you can, on Father’s Day at the Downs!
Make sure to enter the draw as soon as you arrive on Father’s Day Sunday. Remember the special early post time of 1:30 p.m. The Dad that rides Tequila the longest wins $250 and two runners up get 50 bucks each. And even if you don’t win, you get to impress the crowd, and more importantly, your kids!
It’s a Family Fun Day at the Downs too, which means the petting farm is open, the bouncy gym is in play and there are free pony rides (for the kids). Sorry Dads, you’ll have to settle for riding Tequila.
Also on Sunday is the $30,000 Free Press Stakes, which features a rematch between 2012 Horse of The Year Balooga Bull and the horse that continues to find ways to beat him, Pleasant Closing. That pair headlines a stellar field in the Free Press and this is the best card of racing ASD has put together this year. There should be some excellent wagering opportunities! Don’t forget to check your Winnipeg Free Press for coupons.
The jockey battle continues full throttle, with Jennifer Reid now tied with Paul Nolan after winning a pair of races on Saturday night. Every time it looks like Nolan is about to open up in the standings Reid wins again. The top pair now has 22 wins apiece and Chris Husbands is right behind them with 20 wins. Husbands also won two races on Saturday night. Other winners included Adrian Ramos, who continues his hot recent pace, Trevor Simpson and Adolfo Morales.
Ten-time leading trainer Ardell Sayler saddles Balooga Bull in the Free Press Stakes, which goes as the seventh race on the eight-race card, and he’ll be trying to add to his meet leading total of 14 wins with numerous entrants on Sunday, but last year’s leading trainer (and the first woman trainer ever to win the title at the Downs) Shelley Brown just won’t let Sayler out of her sights.
Brown won two races on Saturday night including the $25,000 Hazel Wright Sire Stakes with the appropriately named A Girls’ Gotta Do, for Last Call Stable, and she saddles both Pure Glory and Media Contact in the fifth race on Sunday. Brown now has 11 wins and like Reid (who won the Sire Stakes for Brown), she just keep’s coming.
Should be a great day of racing! See you here!
Next Post Time for Live Racing: 1:30 p.m. Sunday, June 16, 2013