October Handicapping Challenge winner Tanis Atras with jockey Kendrick Carmouche and son Rob at Saratoga.
Tanis Atras won the final ASD Handicapping Challenge of the live racing season on October 7 by $1.80 over Brent Daurie, and she was one of three women that gave the men a lesson by finishing in the top five.
“I just got lucky,” said Tanis, but we all know that’s not 100 percent true. It takes a good degree of skill to win these tournaments. Our local handicappers can go toe-to-toe with punters anywhere, and it wasn’t the first time she’s won the summer tourney. Tanis also took home first-place honours on July 31, 2023.
This time, she built her bankroll to $75.70 to take home the $3,500 first-place prize and the trophy. Runner-up Brent Daurie ($73.90) gave it a valiant effort to finish second, followed by Maggie Van Eerd ($66.40), Brad Kinnear ($65.70), and Nicole Baker ($65.60).
The mother of former top ASD trainer Rob Atras, Tanis also knows her way around a barn, which certainly can’t hurt on the handicapping front. After seven years conditioning top horses at ASD, Rob moved to the tough NYRA circuit in New York in 2017 and immediately made an impact, winning at a 20% clip and becoming a Grade 1 stakes-winning trainer with a win in the 2021 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) with Maracuja. Rob is well on his way now, with a career win-clip of 20 percent and a record of 467-396-340 from 2,323 starts for purse earnings of $22,349,145. An amazing accomplishment!
Meanwhile, Mom continues to be a winner here. Tanis’s bets in the tourney included two winners, a second-place finisher, and three third-place finishers, but her winners were nicely priced and included Mechanic Susie ($10.90) in the first race and Saturday’s Babe ($21.80) in the second race.
Mechanic Susie helped get Tanis Atras off to a winning start with her victory for trainer Elton Dickey in the first race of the ASD Handicapping Challenge. Shown here with Groom Kenroy “Cuba” Rowe and jockey Antonio Whitehall. (Jason Halstead / Assiniboia Photo)
“I can tell you I just got lucky,” said Tanis about Saturday’s Babe. “After the nine was scratched at the last minute in the second race I changed my bet quickly and landed on the four, which paid over $40 across the board. It was a Jerry Gourneau horse, which are usually good bets.”
And it was.
Tanis’s strategy is to read the past performances and determine the top two or three horses. She then checks the trainer and jockey percentages. Her background in horses also helps, having connected with top former ASD trainer Jack Robertson decades ago while living in Amaranth, owning horses, and then experiencing life in the barn in an even more intimate fashion when son Rob became a trainer. He also helped her become a better handicapper.
“I would like to thank Sheri (Glendinning) for all the reminders and programs,” said Tanis, who enjoys competing in the tournaments. “She does a good job.” After her last win, Tanis’s advice to people thinking about playing in the tournaments was, “Don’t give up. Anybody can win.”
She followed her own advice.
NOTE: The first Player’s Choice Handicapping Tournament of the off-season at ASD goes this Saturday, October 18. The deadline for entries is Friday at 4 p.m. First prize is $1,000. Is it your turn to get lucky?