Thursday, August 29 , 2019

Assiniboia Downs The Insider E-Newsletter

Vol. 14  No 33 (Issue #703)

By Ivan Bigg

 

Weekly Horseplayer Report and Fun Stuff

(If this column looks askew in your email, click here for an online version.)

CHASE THE ACE: Just 10 cards remain, jackpot climbs toward $45K


WORST BEAT OF ALL: Last Friday, the young man drawn to try to select the jackpot card, the ace of diamonds, pointed to the card he wanted. But wait! “No, pick the one next to it,” shouted his friends behind him. So he moved over to the adjoining card. I don’t have to tell you that his original selection was the ace of diamonds. And that he had choice words for his “friends.”

$10,000 GUARANTEED PICK-4 POOL SATURDAY at ASD. Want to get a head start analyzing the races? Download program pages here.
EYE ON LIVE

Let's hear it for Gary Danelson!
Celebrated his 82nd birthday yesterday; 60 years ago today he won his first race


Gary Danelson wins first race on Aug. 29,1959 at the age of 22
Let’s hear it for trainer Gary Danelson! Of course, he’s ASD’s all-time leading trainer. But this week is extra-special and that’s why track historian Bob Gates will have a Danelson display mounted in the Clubhouse tomorrow night for you to inspect.
  • It was exactly 60 years ago today--Aug. 29, 1959--that Danelson, aged 22, won his very first race at the Downs with Coherence, a horse he had purchased for $400
  • Yesterday was Danelson’s 82nd birthday
  • He’s winning races at the rate of 30 per cent which is currently higher than any other trainer. Like the Energizer bunny, the gentleman from Scobey, Montana keeps going, and going and . . . What a career! Happy returns and many more, Gary!

Bullet briefs . . .

  • Escape Clause's baby sister crashes into fence after lightning strike; needs stitches
  • Will Gold Cup Stakes on holiday Monday be a replay of Manitoba Derby?
  • What ASD jockey has a knack with babies? (He was three-for-three this past week.)
  • Woodbine's new "crossover" pick-4 is a fun bet
  • Hot Rodin shows again why his name is so appropriate
 
HOW BIG WILL TOMORROW NIGHT’S “CHASE THE ACE” JACKPOT GET? With just 10 cards remaining, it’s likely to grow a lot.

OTB GOODIES: Enter your name with mutuel sellers at these OTB locations (Pembina, Windsor, Quest & Green Brier) to be drawn on Saturday to win 10,000 Player Rewards points. And, at Club Regent, McPhillips & Rookies, get 5x the usual Player Rewards points when you bet ASD races. New starting September 8: Enter to win $25 in betting vouchers and 5,000 Player Rewards points in Saturday afternoon draws.

CONGRATS TO WOODBINE TRIP WINNER! Roofer, renovator and curler/horseplayer extraordinaire, Dave Boehmer has won a trip for two to Woodbine’s Canadian International Stakes in October, a race that Secretariat made famous because it was the super horse’s farewell appearance. Names of players were entered into a draw based on their wagering during Super Bonus Week Aug. 1 to 7. Watch CEO Darren Dunn make the draw here.
 
QX104 � Today's Country

Official stations of horse racing.
Click to listen

94.3 The Drive

Click to expand

DO THE DOWNS

Want highlights for the next 10 days? Click calendar.
What tracks are running in August? Find out here.
What are today’s $$$ carryovers? See them here.
Want to follow sports in the Race Book? Bombers

FREE VLT TOURNAMENTS AFTER LIVE RACING: Enter in the Club West Gaming lounge following live racing. Get into the draw for 10 chances to win $20 in free VLT spins tonight and 10 chances to win $20 in free VLT spins on Friday and Saturday. Top winner from each night participates in a month-end finale for more spins and $250 in prize money.

POKER FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT: $10 buy-in poker is now on summer break. Poker will resume on Friday, Sept. 13 with a royal flush progressive jackpot of $5,111.25.


GREEDY CORNER: $1 MILLION at stake this afternoon in Gulfstream’s Rainbow pick-6. See other carryovers here.
ESCAPE CLAUSE SISTER WATCH

Freak accident
Multiple stitches needed to close filly's wound suffered after lightning strikes paddock


Escape Clause’s yearling sister has a bunch of stitches in her chest after she crashed into a fence during a violent thunderstorm at the farm in Nicholasville, Kentucky where she was being prepped for a yearling sale.

“Lightning hit a tree in the paddock and she freaked out and tried to jump the fence or something,”
her breeder, Cam Ziprick told The Insider from his farm in Russell, Man.

That’s the reason, he said, that she won’t be offered for sale at the Keeneland yearling sale in September as originally intended. “There’s nothing structurally wrong with her,” he said, “but you can’t sell her when she’s like this.”

He said it’s likely she’ll be shipped back to his farm for the winter and be schooled next spring. He’ll be visiting her at the Taylor Made farm where she is being boarded, he said, when he goes down to Kentucky next week to receive an award--along with Barry Arnason-- as Canadian Breeders of the Year at the annual Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association dinner in Lexington.
EYE ON LIVE

A replay of the Manitoba Derby?

Oil Money among 15 horses nominated to Gold Cup on Labour Day Monday


Juan Pablo Silva Nominates two horses from California
Will the Gold Cup Stakes on Labour Day Monday be another “catch me if you can” event with the winner of the Manitoba Derby, Oil Money, setting the pace in the 1 1/8-mile test?

We won’t know the race entries until tomorrow but 15 horses have been nominated including two horses by trainer Robertino Diodoro including the pace-setting Oil Money and off-the-pacer Blue Harbor, both from Canterbury Park.

Horsemen are required to pony up $275 to enter the race and another $275 to start so they will obviously be weighing their options carefully. Trainer Jerry Gourneau has nominated four horses and other trainers have nominated two apiece: Murray Duncan, Steven Gaskin and Juan Pablo Silva. Manitoba-bred Langara is among the nominated horses from the barn of Michael Nault.

Will Alberta trainer Tim Rycroft ship in Gem Alta who just chalked up a lifetime best Equibase speed figure of 99 running fourth in the $75K Century Mile Handicap at Century Mile in Edmonton?

Juan Pablo Silva, whose $5,000 claimer, Flinch, outfinished pricier local horses in the Manitoba Derby will be looking to do the same thing in the Gold Cup with $10K to $12K claimers from California: Crown and Kitten and Point Guard.

SEE NOMINATIONS HERE. (The draw takes place tomorrow morning)

*       *       *

Uh-oh!
Jockey race tightens; trainer race razor-thin

Antonio Whitehall, last year’s co-leading rider, narrows gap with Richard Mairs
With six days of live racing remaining, it appears both the jockey and trainer races will go right to the last day--which is Sunday afternoon, Sept. 8. Current standings:

Jockeys: Richard Mairs
-- 43 wins, Antonio Whitehall -- 41 wins, Alex Cruz -- 37 wins
Trainers: Tom Gardipy, Jr.
-- 41 wins, Juan Pablo Silva -- 40 wins, Jerry Gourneau -- 34 wins

Who’s your money on?

*       *       *

HOTTIES OF THE WEEK (Wed-Fri-Sat):  
Hottest jockeys: Kayla Pizarro, Antonio Whitehall
(4 wins)
Hottest trainers:
Juan Pablo Silva (4 wins)
Biggest longshot: River Runner $41.60 (Wed race 4)
Stakes champion(s): Cash Or Card (Osiris), Esther's Quest (CTHS Sales Stake)
Stakes this week:
Gold Cup (Monday)

CARRYOVERS: 
Pick-4: none
Jackpot Pick-5 (starts race 3): $5,376
Jackpot Hi 5 (last race): $3,954

*       *       *

HORSEMEN INVITED TO FALL SUPPER NEXT WEDNESDAY: The HBPA will hold a fall supper next Wednesday on the main level of the Downs at 5:30 p.m. “This will be held as a chance for the horsemen to share a meal with their ‘racing family’ before everyone heads out for the off-season and as a thank you for a wonderful season,” says HBPA executive director Shannon Dawley. “The menu will resemble that of a typical Thanksgiving supper (turkey, ham and all the fixings as well as pumpkin and apple pie).” Funding for the supper is through donations to the HBPA. Presentations will be made to trainers who have made milestone-type achievements.


A BIG SHOUT-OUT to ASD jockey Antonio Whitehall who was a perfect three-for-three in baby races the past three live race days, winning all three including two stakes races--all with different trainers. That brings his record with 2-year-olds to five wins from 11 starts. His most recent baby wins included:
  • Esther’s Quest -- $30K CTHS Sales Stakes -- $6.70 -- trainer Steven Gaskin
  • Cash Or Card -- $30K Osiris Stajes -- $3.30 -- trainer Shelley Brown
  • Kickalittlebooty -- Maiden -- $5.20 -- trainer Brent Hrymak
A BIG SHOUT-OUT to 6-year-old gelding Hot Rodin and his new owner/trainer, Maria Stanford. Last year’s Claimer of the Year has shown he hasn’t lost a beat, dueling other horses into the ground to win an allowance/optional $15,000 claimer last Wednesday ($9.60) after Stanford had claimed him from his previous race for $5,000 despite a drop to that level after he had won a $10,000 claimer. The steel (steal?) horse probably has one more race in him before the meet ends on Sunday, Sept. 8. Stanford picked up a $9,300 share of the purse for her $5,000 claiming outlay. Nice.

A BIG SHOUT-OUT
to Woodbine Entertainment for launching an interesting pick-4 wager on Fridays they call the Dual-Breed Crossover Pick-4 which requires a player to select the winner of the last two races of the thoroughbred card and the first two races of the standardbred card. It’s a minimum 20-cent wager as are all pick-4s. It’s a brilliant promotional idea to get thoroughbred fans involved in harness -- and to get harness players dabbling an hour earlier on thoroughbreds. Thoroughbred racing begins Friday at 3:05 (CDT) followed by harness at 6:50.


A BIG SHOUT-OUT to trainer Chad Brown who’s been hitting stakes races like there’s no tomorrow. He followed up his four stakes wins on Arlington Park’s premiere Arlington Million Day with two this past Travers Day at Saratoga. Hitting at a 27 per cent clip, he’s won 41 stakes races this year including 14 Grade 1 events and his horses have earned more than $20 million. His Bricks and Mortar is a win machine, having won all five of his races this year including the Arlington Million and the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational. Chad Brown’s horses belong on all exotic tickets, especially in turf races.
BREEDING

Okay, I’ve fallen on my sword!
(Good thing it’s plastic.)

Readers have reminded me that Escape Clause’s sister isn’t the only Manitoba-bred who has been sent to the big annual September yearling sale in Keeneland (although she’s now been withdrawn). She just happens to be the most famous because of her mom.

Without fanfare, Manitoba breeders have been sending their yearlings to that sale for years and some have fetched a pretty price!

“Not for sure, but I think Gary Strath's yearling out of All Jazz (the dam of Canadian Oaks winner Kimchi) by Malibou Moon might be the most expensive - it sold for $140K,”
say Brenda and Dr. Ross McKague of Brandon who have sold $3 million in horses at various sales through almost four decades of breeding.

“Strath also sold a Langfuhr out of Love Me Forever for $110K. He sold several others for good prices as well but he is now completely out of the horse business.

“Other people who sold at Keeneland or Fasig-Tipton sales include Gloria and Howard McBurney, Bob Crockett, Barry Anderson, the late Phil Kives (although he bought most of them back), Ken Lee and Sandy Lepard, etc.

“We sold several weanlings at Keeneland: 
  • Salt Lake-Sunrise Lady - $60K (She resold at Saratoga Select for $115)
  • Cape Town - Classic Beth - $82K (She sold to Graham Beck and went to South Africa)
  • Forest Camp - Ms. Tenacious - $85K”
Much thanks for this, Brenda and Ross. Sounds like a healthy industry--with Manitoba gaining in prominence because of the accomplishments of Escape Clause.

*       *       *

$387K Manitoba-bred wins in England
Daddy’s Daughter
, bred by K-5 Stables and the highest-priced MB-bred ever (at auction in England) is shown winning a turf handicap at Salisbury Racecourse in England in June. The 4-year-old filly is by Scat Daddy out of Golden Stripe.
(Denis Murphy photo)
FOR SALE

End of an era
Farm of the late Phil Kives is up for sale; a mare and yearling are last to be sold


A property that has hundreds of horse tales to tell is up for sale. Just six minutes north of Assiniboia Downs, the K5 Stables property run by the late Phil Kives, is now on the market. K5 manager Leona Stahl has provided this description:
  • 115 acres
  • Heated barn with 19 box stalls
  • Arena
  • 4-bedroom bungalow house
  • Horse sheds and automatic sprinklers in four huge paddocks. Asking price: $850,000.
Kives, an extraordinary entrepreneur who marketed household gadgets and records under the K-tel label, owned, bred and raced hundreds of horses in 40 years of racing.

Just two K5 horses are left and they’ll be put on the auction block soon:
  • Golden Stripe, a mare who is carrying the foal of Goldencents--himself the son of a Kives’ mare--will be sold at the Nov. 5 breeding stock sale in Keeneland. (Goldencents was a back-to-back winner of the Breeders’ Cup Mile.)
  • Also to be auctioned off--at a Fasig-Tipton yearling sale from October 21-24--is a foal by the same pair.
THE WEEK THAT WAS

LES “LONGSHOT” BUZZELL WINS FIRST RACE AS HORSE OWNER AT ASD: You’ve read numerous stories about Les “Longshot” Buzzell regularly cashing $60 to $100 bets on extreme longshots; now know him as an ASD horse owner who won his first race last Friday on a horse purchased in southern California: Point Guard. We’re likely to see him in the Gold Cup on Labour Day and players will be wondering whether Les’ luck at the windows will also carry him into the Winner’s Circle in that race.

MACLENNAN FOLLOWS THOROUGHBREDS TO CENTURY DOWNS: Rob MacLennan
, formerly of ASD and now racing secretary in Alberta, is following the thoroughbreds from Century Mile in Edmonton to Century Downs near Calgary for two months of racing there. Thoroughbred racing will be held primarily on Saturdays and Sundays at 2:45 p.m. beginning Sept. 7. Rigo Sarmiento was the leading jockey at the recently-concluded Century Mile meet. Former ASD jockey Prayven Badrie was fourth.
 
HISTORY ON THE HOOF with Bob: "He was one of God's noblemen"

For this week’s blog, Bob has gathered quotes about an influential owner and breeder of Thoroughbred racehorses from the late 1960s.  Can you guess who these quotes are referring to?  “His death is a tragedy, particularly at his age. He was one of God’s few noblemen.” Hint: A memorial stakes race on the final weekend of live racing celebrates its 50th running. Bob has the story here.

NOTE:
Two weeks from this Saturday is your chance to show off your retention of Bob’s fascinating facts from his blogs, A test will be held Saturday afternoon, Sept. 14, at 1 p.m. on the Clubhouse plaza with 18 multiple-choice questions, one on each of his 18 blogs. Catch up on those weekly blogs here to be ready to win wagering vouchers, ASD merchandise and racing artifacts from your birth year.
Fan appreciation perks Friday to Sunday next week!
DATES TO CIRCLE
  • Tomorrow: Live racing/ace chase 7:15. Just 10 live cards, will jackpot exceed $45K?
  • This Saturday: Live racing/ace chase. 7:15.
  • This Sunday: Thoroughbred Showcase horse sale in the paddock at 11:30 a.m. Object: To bring horse buyers and sellers together. Details.
  • Labour Day Monday: Live racing, ace chase 1:15. Family fun. Gold Cup Stakes.
  • Wednesday, Sept. 4: Fall supper for horsemen 5:30 p.m. on main level of the Downs, sponsored by the HBPA
  • Fan appreciation Friday, Sept. 6: Live racing/ace chase 7:15. Manitoba Matron Stakes
  • Fan appreciation Saturday, Sept. 7: Live racing/ace chase 7:15. J. W. Sifton Stakes for Manitobe-bred 3-year-olds.
  • Fan appreciation Sunday, Sept. 8: Final live race day 1:15. Final horseplayer tournament to earn a trip to Las Vegas. Buffalo Stakes for Manitoba-bred 2-year-olds. 90th running of the Winnipeg Futurity for 2-year-olds. Top jock and top trainer awards. Family fun.
  • Saturday, Sept. 14: Multiple-choice quiz on Bob Gates’ blogs at 1 p.m. for prizes and bragging rights. Third and final Manitoba Night Market. 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.
  • Saturday, Sept. 21: Weekly “I won bigger” betting group workshops begin again at 10:30 a.m. on the Clubhouse plaza (Woodbine pick-5) with a crispy, crunchy bacon treat to kick things off!

© Copyright 1996-2019 All Rights Reserved. Assiniboia Downs.
3975 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3K 2E9
Ph (204) 885.3330 • Fax (204) 831.5348

Like us on Facebook  Follow us on Twitter  Read our Blog  See us on Instagram  Watch us on Youtube
Make Dinner Reservations
Book Your Event
Bet Online