Longshot Just a Pose (inside) wins the fifth race at ASD on Wednesday evening for trainer Lise Pruitt, giving new jockey Mathew Bennett his first ever win at ASD and triggering a huge Pick 4 payoff. (Jason Halstead / Assiniboia Photo)
By G.S. Thompson
Two days of live racing and two million dollar-plus handles! What a way to start the 2025 live season at Assiniboia Downs!
Warm spring weather greeted fans on both Tuesday and Wednesday, and they responded to both the weather and the lower takeout rates — which are now below 20% on all wagers– by wagering $1,062,185 on opening night and another $1,320,060 on the second evening of racing.
Load Abroad ($3.50) won the first race of the 2025 meeting, the Don Gray Memorial, for trainer Mike Nault and owner A2 Thoroughbreds, with Prayven Badrie in the saddle, and longshot Brody’s Streak ($24.30) capped off the opening night card with a sensational rally under jockey Rachaad Knights to win the seventh race for trainer Tom Gardipy, Jr. and owners Black Diamond stable and Larry S. Henry.
Load Abroad wins the first race of the 2025 season at ASD, the Don Gray Memorial, for trainer Mike Nault. Prayven Badrie up. (Jason Halstead / Assiniboia Photo)
Gardipy and Knights teamed up for two wins on the evening, also winning the third race with Dale Henry’s Secret Glenda ($3.90). Jockey Sven Balroop won a pair of races, with additional singles going to Ronald Ali and Dario Dalrymple. Also notable was new apprentice Ciera Pruitt, the daughter of former top ASD jockey Jerry Pruitt and trainer Lise Pruitt, who made her debut riding in two races.
Other trainers with winners on opening night included Steve Keplin, Jr., Wendy Anderson, Judy Hunter, and Jared Brown.
Knights, last year’s leading apprentice, continued his hot streak on Wednesday night with wins in the third race aboard Venti ($10.00) for trainer Devon Gittens, and the sixth race aboard Waitinbythenile ($8.70) for trainer Tom Gardipy, Jr., with single winners going to Dario Dalrymple, Renaldo Cumberbatch, Prayven Badrie, Damario Bynoe, and new rider Mathew Bennett. The latter scored his first lifetime win at ASD in a thrilling stretch duel aboard Just a Pose ($37.00) in the fifth race for trainer Lise Pruitt, who also won the second race with Shocking Malice ($4.80).
Corredor wins the 7th race on Wednesday, May 14 at ASD for trainer Steve Keplin, Jr. Damario Bynoe up. (Jason Halstead / Assiniboia Photo)
Steve Keplin, Jr. also continued to roll on the trainer side, winning the fourth race on Wednesday with Ginas Serenade ($7.60) and the seventh race with Corredor ($12.60). Singles on the night went to trainers Jared Brown, Devon Gittens, and Tom Gardipy, Jr.
After two nights of racing, Knights leads all jockeys with four wins, followed by Balroop, Badrie, and Dalrymple with two wins apiece. Keplin and Gardipy are tied for the lead in the trainer standings with three wins each, followed by Jared Brown and Lise Pruitt with two wins.
Brody's Streak returns with leading rider Rachaad Knights after winning the 7th race at ASD on Tuesday, May 13 for trainer Tom Gardipy, Jr. (Jason Halstead / Assiniboia Photo)
The highlights of Wednesday night were the big stretch rallies from Just a Pose in the fourth race and Corredor in the seventh, the former of which triggered a lucrative $1 Pick 4 payoff of $4,629.15 from a whopping $92,528 Pick 4 Pool.
“What a great start to the season tonight,” said Darren Dunn, CEO of Assiniboia Downs, after opening night. “The weather was unseasonably warm today and it was a perfect night for fans.”
Those sentiments could be echoed for the second evening of racing, and loyal ASD fans get a huge thank you for helping the 2025 live season get off to a great start.
A huge Pick 4 pool and payoff on Wednesday was the icing on the cake!