Ciera Pruitt wins four including Frank Arnason Sire Stakes, Kerron Khelawan has Ride of the Week

Ciera Pruitt and Bromeo (inside) hold on to win a great stretch battle in the Frank Arnason Sire Stakes on Tuesday. (Jason Halstead / Assiniboia Photo)

By G.S. Thompson

Apprentice jockey Ciera Pruitt was the star of the show this week at Assiniboia Downs, winning four races including the $40,000 Frank Arnason Sire Stakes, while former Hastings Park jockey Kerron Khelawan continued to climb in the standings with the ride of the week aboard longshot Pay My Way for trainer Charlene Miller.

Pruitt’s first of four winners came in the third race on Tuesday, the Frank Arnason Sire Stakes for Manitoba-sired 3-year-old colts and geldings, and it wasn’t easy. Riding Bromeo ($3.70) for her mother, trainer Lise Pruitt, Ciera dueled from the inside throughout the entire race and prevailed by a head after a long stretch battle.

Bred by Barry Arnason and owned by Arnason Farms, Bromeo failed to reach his reserve bid in the 2024 Manitoba CTHS Yearling Sale, and his owner/breeder is reaping the benefits now. Bromeo is by Speculating out of the mare Zero Zee, who made over $100,000 at the races, and Bromeo could have a lucrative future ahead of him, especially in the restricted races. He was making just his fourth lifetime start in the Arnason and has now compiled a record of 2-1-1 from four starts for earnings of over $40,000.

Ciera Pruitt went on to win the seventh race on Tuesday with longshot Dynamic Strike ($18.90) for trainer Wendy Anderson, and followed up Wednesday night with victories aboard Preachers Secret ($7.00) in the third race for trainer Jason Homer, and Neytiri ($5.40) in the sixth race, again for Mom. Pruitt’s four winners improved her record for the year to 9-12-11 from 69 starts and moved her into the top 10 in the standings for the first time this year.

Only one other rider, Renaldo Cumberbatch, had more than one winner on the week. Cumberbatch won the fourth race on Tuesday with Sgt. Filkow ($6.50) for trainer Tiffany Husbands, and the second race on Wednesday with Payton’s Indian ($4.90) for leading trainer Jerry Gourneau.

Gourneau won two races on the week to maintain his long and lonely lead in the standings with 38 wins, 19 more than Steve Keplin, Jr. (19), followed by Wendy Anderson (11) and Mike Nault (10), while rider Sven Balroop won one race to remain tied with Antonio Whitehall, with 20 wins each.

Former Hastings Park jockey Kerron Khelawan continued to close the gap on the top two with the ride of the week aboard Pay My Way ($20.70) in the fifth race for trainer Charlene Miller. Dropping back early in the one-mile race, Khelawan made a good rail move on the final turn and deftly guided his mount into the clear in the stretch, rallying between horses to take over late. Khelawan now has 13 wins to put him in third in the standings, just ahead of Neville Stephenson (12) and Dario Dalrymple (11).

The summer crowds continue to grow, and hats were in abundance for Wednesday’s Girls Night Out. More are expected for the Debutante Stakes for 2-year-old fillies next Wednesday, which will be the perfect night out prep for the fabulous hats draw on Manitoba Derby evening on Monday, August 3.

What will you be wearing?