Jumpin Jennie & jockey Christopher Ho win 1st race of 2014 at ASD for trainer Ardell Sayler and owner Bill Maulding.
Eleven-time leading trainer Ardell Sayler served notice that he’ll once again be a force at Assiniboia Downs in 2014.
Sayler won four of the eight races on opening day including two legs of the Pick-4 with longshots that forced a Pick-4 carryover of $4,743 into next Friday’s card. New rider Christopher Ho was the top jock on the day with three winners, two of which were saddled by Sayler.
Sayler won the first race with Jumpin Jennie ($5.70), the third race with Inflamed Spirit ($4.90), the fifth race with R Last Hoorah ($21.90) and the sixth with A High Five ($14.20). Trainer Rob Atras got on the board with King Bill ($5.00) in the second race, as did Gary Danelson with Ol’ Steely Blue ($5.20) in the seventh race and Irene Britton with Why So Soon ($14.40) in the eighth race.
Trainer Blair Miller saddled the longest shot of the day, winning the fourth race with Lia Rocks ($41.40) and knocking just about everyone out of the Pick-4. Lia Rocks sizzled to the front and never looked back as part of jockey Christopher Ho’s hat trick on the day. Defending champion jockey Paul Nolan won a pair of races on the day and singles went to Adolfo Morales, Chris Husbands and Omar Walker.
Walker won the seventh race aboard Ol’ Steely Blue Eyes, who lived up to his name and provided fans with the gamest performance of the day. The gray 6-year-old gelding was under pressure throughout from favorite Stonewall Riot to his outside, but refused to let that one by, and while dealing with that rival he was passed on the inside in midstretch by Sacredspirit. Somehow he found a way to hold off one rival while also coming back on late to defeat the other.
That’s why we watch horse racing.
Next Post Time for Live Racing: 7 p.m. Friday, May 9, 2014