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By G.S. Thompson
Randy Premachuk has been studying the horses at Assiniboia Downs for over three decades, but 2024 brought him an achievement that had previously eluded him – the coveted Handicapper of the Year title.
After years of coming close, including a fourth place finish last year, Premachuk finally captured the crown with a consistent performance throughout the season. The veteran handicapper clinched the title on Saturday with a 15th place finish and 29 points in the final Player’s Choice tournament of the year, accumulating a season total of 273 points to edge out runner-up Darcy Penner’s 267 points. Alan Hampton and Trevor Phelps tied for third in the standings with 241 points each.
Premachuk won $3,500, a trophy, and the bragging rights that go with the much sought-after championship honours, defeating an average field of 50 great handicappers in the year-long battle that takes contestants’ best seven scores. His winning total of 273 points was notably higher than previous years’ winning scores. Penner received $500 for his second-place finish, while Hampton and Phelps each took home $250.
The drama was heightened going into the final tournament, with Trevor Phelps still having a mathematical chance to claim the title. “Trevor needed to have a really good day,” said Premachuk, but it turned out to be a very tough day for longshot players.
“After about five picks on Saturday, I just figured you weren’t going to need a lot of money to win,” said Premachuk, who managed his remaining picks carefully as favourites dominated the day. “Every race is different, every scenario is different, you just have to adapt.”
A longtime horse owner and racing enthusiast who operates a hobby farm in East Selkirk with nine horses, Premachuk has developed what he playfully calls “Randycapping” — an approach to handicapping that draws on years of playing the horses and lessons learned from fellow handicappers. His system emphasizes focusing on just three or four tracks rather than trying to handicap everything.
“I’ve had my best days when I concentrate on three or four tracks,” he explained. “If you can look at the other tracks and have some idea about what’s going on there, that’s great. But if you start trying to look at seven or eight different tracks simultaneously while the contest is on, that gets a little difficult and stressful.”
His approach starts with analyzing speed factors and race setup. “The first thing I’m always trying to do is see who the speed horses are,” said Premachuk. “Is there a lone speed horse, is there going to be a speed duel? How is the race going to set up? Then I like to eliminate horses and get down to four or five contenders.”
When he’s not handicapping races, Premachuk works for Dave’s Quick Print, where he recently sold his ownership shares but maintains his long-standing role with the company. He’s also been a part-owner of horses for over 30 years, giving him valuable insight into the racing industry from multiple angles.
Looking ahead, Premachuk plans to put some of his winnings toward an 85-inch TV for his newly renovated basement, creating a space where he can gather with fellow handicappers to watch races. The social aspect of handicapping is something he particularly values.
“It’s an activity you can join with friends from all walks of life and age,” he said. “Like anything else, it takes imagination. You have to imagine different scenarios, and it’s fun. And Assiniboia Downs does a great job.”
The year-long championship race demonstrated Premachuk’s consistency, with his 273 points averaging nearly 40 points per tournament over his best seven results – equivalent to averaging around fourth place in fields of 50 tough competitors. While proud of his achievement, he still sees room for improvement.
“You can’t be upset when a horse doesn’t come in,” he said, sharing his philosophy about handling the inevitable ups and downs of handicapping. “When you’re playing a horse and you have some confidence that it’s going to run a really good race – that’s what you want to play. You might not know he’s going to win, but you know he’s going to run well and he’s going to be somewhere.”
The Handicapper of the Year title held special meaning for Premachuk as he remembered his late friend David Blake, a former champion who had encouraged him to pursue the title. “Dave said to me, ‘Randy, you got to win this thing,'” Premachuk recalled with emotion. “He’s looking down at me right now and saying…
‘Randy, you did it.'”
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