Groom Charlotte Stevens leads Bergheim out of the winner’s circle after his victory in the $50,000 Beau Blade Stakes on Tuesday for trainer Jerry Gourneau. (Jason Halstead / Assiniboia Photo)
By G.S. Thompson
The first stakes races of the 2026 season at ASD got underway this week, we escaped the challenging weather, trainer Jerry Gourneau opened up a huge lead in the trainer standings, and the first Western Wednesday of June was a hit with the line-dancing and bull-riding crowd.
Gourneau won eight of the 21 races carded this week, including the $50,000 Beau Blade Stakes on Tuesday with longshot Bergheim ($34.80) and jockey Renaldo Cumberbatch, for leading owner Henry S. Witt, Jr. to take a dominating 10-win lead in the trainer standings. Gourneau now has 18 wins on the season, 10 more than Steve Keplin, Jr. (8), followed by Wendy Anderson (5), Mike Nault (4), Jason Homer (3), and Tom Gardipy, Jr.
Bergheim is the leading earner in 2026 at the Downs with US$25,002 for owner Witt, Jr. who is 12 wins and more than US$100,000 ahead of his nearest rival in the standings with 15 victories and $US154,811 in purse earnings as he tries for his eighth straight owner title.
Spin the Breeze pulls off a 26-1 upset in the Lil Missknowitall Stakes on Wednesday with Kerron Khelawan up for trainer Wendy Anderson. (Jason Halstead / Assiniboia Photo)
Second on the horse list is former claimer Spin the Breeze ($53.40), who also pulled off an upset in the stakes with a wire-to-wire victory in the $25,000 Lil Missknowitall Stakes under Kerron Khelawan on Wednesday for trainer Wendy Anderson and ownership partner Jeff Goy. Spin the Breeze was claimed out of her start previous to the Lil Missknowitall for $12,500 and immediately paid for herself with the $15,960 winner’s share of the purse. Nicely done Wendy!
Groom Katie Morris leads Truly Unbelievable and jockey Kimal Santo in the winner’s circle after their victory in the Corporate Shuffle Stakes on Tuesday for trainer Robertino Diodoro. (Jason Halstead / Assiniboia Photo)
In other stakes action, four-time Manitoba Derby-winning trainer Robertino Diodoro shipped in Truly Unbelievable ($6.20) from Sunland Park to post a mild upset in the $25,000 Corporate Shuffle Stakes for 3-year-olds on Tuesday with Kimal Santo in the irons for ownership partners Arnold Bennewith and Rick and Clayton Weist. Could this be another Derby horse for Diodoro? Sure looks like it.
The $25,000 Beausox Stakes for 3-year-old fillies also went to a new arrival on Wednesday evening, with former Keeneland runner Evolution ($3.50) wiring her field under jockey Antonio Whitehall for trainer Will Tourangeau and owners Cattleman’s Club Stable. Nice to see you in the winner’s circle again Emile Corbel!
Former ASD leading trainer Emile Corbel (green jacket) was in the winner’s circle again, this time as an advisor to the ownership group of the horse, after Evolution’s win in the $25,000 Beausox Stakes on Wednesday for trainer Will Tourangeau, ridden by jockey Antonio Whitehall. (Jason Halstead / Assiniboia Photo)
Other notable performances on the week included another first-time-starter winner from trainer Jason Homer, who saddled Coastie ($4.40) to win the first race on Tuesday in an all-out stretch duel under jockey Neville Stephenson, and the first winner here for former Hastings Park trainer Cindy Krasner. Krasner saddled What’s Skakin ($15.50) to win the sixth race on Tuesday, and he did it the hard way under jockey Kerron Khelawan, stalking six-wide and rallying from last to first for owner Dennis Spence.
Line dancers were out in full force for the first Western Wednesday of June!
The line dancing on Western Wednesday attracted numerous participants who should also be applauded for their performances. Is the most popular dance craze from the ‘90s ready to make a comeback? It appears that way! As for the entertaining mechanical bull riding, no one managed to stay on very long.
Could you?