Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Assiniboia Downs The Insider E-Newsletter

Vol. 14  No. 46 (Issue #716)

By Ivan Bigg

 

Weekly Horseplayer Report and Fun Stuff

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

BIGG IS ON A BREAK: His regular column will return next Thursday
(This is his pre-written column which includes a challenging fun quiz.)

Happy Thanksgiving to our U.S. friends!


FREE BREAKFAST SANDWICH
TO THE FIRST 25
AT THE TRACK TOMORROW MORNING (starting at 10 a.m.)

NOTE EARLY POST TIMES:
  • Laurel 10:25 a.m.
  • Churchill 10:30 a.m.
  • Aqueduct 10:50 a.m.
  • Fair Grounds 11 a.m.
  • Golden Gate 1:15 p.m.
LUNCH SPECIAL: Turkey sandwich with gravy and fries $10

ADDED ENTERTAINMENT on Race Book TVs:


Bullet briefs . . .

  • Tampa begins today 11:35 a.m., Gulfstream begins Friday
  • Sign up for second-last Player's Choice tourney this Saturday; $1,750 in prize money
  • How horsey-smart are you? Take the Horsing Around Quiz #2 below
  • Friday and Saturday are Tap TV Trivia Nights at the Downs. Win prizes!
  • Historian Bob's flashback: The day the mighty Thor ravaged the Downs
  • Better book your festive buffets before they fill up!
 
WIN $125 IN SATURDAY’S “3 FOR THE MONEY:” CONTEST: Predict the first three winners of Woodbine’s late pick-4. Program pages and entry forms available in the Race Book.

PLAY WINNIPEG’S ULTIMATE “CHASE THE ACE” GAME SATURDAY
in support of the Winners Foundation: Ace of diamonds jackpot pool $1,000, two jokers $100 each, other cards $25. Tickets $5 each or three for $10. Purchase by 3:30 p.m. Draw at 4 p.m.

DRAW FOR $50 IN BETTING VOUCHERS CONTINUES AT OTBs SATURDAY AFTERNOON
. Enter with the ticket seller during the week as well.

Click to expand

DO THE DOWNS

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

FREE VLT TOURNAMENTS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY AT 8 PM: Enter in the Club West Gaming lounge Friday and Saturday. Get into the draw for 10 chances to win $20 in free VLT spins. Top winner from each night participates in a month-end finale for more spins and $250 in prize money.

NEW! POOL TABLES, ELECTRONIC DARTS, TAP TV TRIVIA: These are the new games added to Clubhouse fun on the plaza. Pool games are just $1 (insert coins). Tap TV Trivia: Download the free app on your phone to answer 12 questions every 20 minutes to see if you’re better and faster than others. NOTE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY ARE TRIVIA NIGHTS WITH PRIZES! (Bartender/special events coordinator Cory is your host starting at 7 p.m.)

NEW!
39-CENT WINGS AND OTHER FOOD SPECIALS: 10 wings for $3.90, 20 for $7.80 Friday and Saturday from 3 to 9 p.m. and NFL Sunday from noon ‘til 9 p.m. Daily specials:
  • Lasagna and Caesar salad is a weekend special
    Pizza Mondays: $10
  • Taco Tuesdays: 3 for $10 (chicken or beef)
  • Rib Wednesdays:  $12 for half-rack of baby-back BBQ ribs with fries and cole slaw
  • Burger Thursdays: $4 off any burger platter
  • $13 weekend specials: Lasagna with Caesar salad and garlic toast or chicken pot pie with choice of side or perogies and garlic sausage with grilled onions and sour cream
  • JUST ADDED! Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs $4.95, pizza by the slice $2.95 and popcorn $2.50 every (Friday 4 to 10 p.m., Saturday/Sunday 12 to 10 p.m.)
  • HAPPY HOUR: Sunday through Thursday from 3 p.m. to closing. 6 oz. house wine ($4.25), house highball ($3.75), domestic beer ($3.75), Downs Caesar ($5.00)
GREEDY CORNER: See all jackpot carryovers here.
HORSING AROUND


See answers at bottom of column.
  1. What is Chef Gerardo’s most popular dessert?
    Which of these tracks does NOT have a synthetic surface: (a) Woodbine (b) Gulfstream West (c) Golden Gate (d) Arlington

  2. The Assiniboia Downs starting gate is red. Do horses see red? (a) yes (b) no (c) depends on whether it’s daylight or not

  3. When a horse’s ears are pinned back, it means the horse is (a) hungry (b) happy (c) angry (d) smelling something he doesn’t like

  4. The Australian mare who won three Melbourne Cups in a row was (a) Black Caviar (b) Makybe Diva (c) Zenyatta (d) Body Works

  5. Which race will be the richest next year? (a) Saudi Cup (b) Pegasus World Cup (c) Dubai World Cup (d) Melbourne Cup

  6. When you see that a race is a “derby,” you immediately know (a) the race is for the best horses at a track (b) the race is for 3-year-old colts and fillies (c) the race is only for 3-year-old colts (d) the race will be run on a holiday

  7. The average horse weighs (a) 900 pounds (b) 1,000 pounds (c) 1,100 pounds (d) 1,200 pounds

  8. ASD Chef Gerardo’s most popular dessert is (a) Brandied Apple (b) Strawberry Rocket (c) Bourbon Bacon Brownie (d) Humble Pie

  9. How many furlongs is the Kentucky Derby? (a) 9 (b) 10 (c) 12 (d) 14

  10. Which of these was NOT a race track in Winnipeg? (a) Whittier Park (b) River Park (c) Assiniboine Park (d) Polo Park
SAVVY NFL PICKS by TravyFootball: U.S. Thanksgiving special (Week 13)
  • Bears over Lions (tomorrow morning): The Lions have looked completely lost ever since they lost starting QB Matt Stafford to injury. They are really struggling to score points. The Bears aren’t playing much better but I’ll give them the slight edge here due to their defense.

  • Bills over Cowboys (tomorrow afternoon): Buffalo is definitely the most surprising team of the season. I don’t think anyone (not even me) predicted they would be sitting at 8-3 headed into week 13. A nice combination of great defense and Josh Allen’s awkward offense has them in the playoff hunt.

  • Saints over Falcons (tomorrow evening): Revenge game for the Saints: A few weeks ago the Falcons shocked the football world by pummelling New Orleans on their own home field. Saints WR Michael Thomas is catching balls at a record-setting pace. He already has 104 receptions which is more than any receiver had after 16 games during the 2004 to 2006 seasons.

  • Panthers over Redskins (Sunday noon): The Panthers lost a heartbreaker last week to the Saints due to a Joey Slye-missed field goal with under two minutes left in the game. Even though the Panthers will most likely miss the playoffs their MVP candidate Christian McCaffrey is a must-watch player.

No Proline ticket this week because of this earlier Insider.

PICKS RECORD: Last week: 3 correct out of 4. Overall (since week 3): 24 correct out of 40.

NOTE:
In exceptional cases (e.g. injuries to key personnel), these picks may be amended in the online version of The Insider early Saturday afternoon. Go there (ASDowns.com) for updates.

WATCH GAMES IN HIGH-DEF IN THE RACE BOOK
 
THE BEST OF BOB: The day the mighty Thor ravaged the Downs

June 6, 1976 was a day that will never be forgotten by those who were at the Downs that fateful day. Historian Bob relives the day that a prairie storm wreaked havoc on the Downs. Read Bob's memory of that day here. (First published in May 2014)
 
DATES TO CIRCLE
  • Tomorrow: Happy Thanksgiving to our U.S. friends! Early post times at major U.S. tracks starting at 10:25 with Laurel. Turkey plate special at the track. Certified Angus prime rib buffet from 5 to 8 p.m.
  • This Saturday: Kentucky Derby prep race (Kentucky Jockey Club) at Churchill; Player’s Choice handicapping tournament
  • Thursday, Dec. 5: Prime rib buffet
  • Saturday, Dec. 7: Two Kentucky Derby prep races -- Remsen at Aqueduct and Los Alamitos Futurity at Los Alamitos.
FESTIVE EVENTS: Reserve with Samantha at 204-885-3330 ext. 0
  • Thursday, Dec. 12: Christmas-themed prime rib buffet
  • Thursday, Dec. 19: Christmas-themed prime rib buffet
  • Thursday, Dec. 26: Chanukah-themed prime rib buffet
  • Tuesday, Dec. 31: New Year’s Eve gala
NEXT INSIDER: Thursday, Dec. 5. Bigg will be back.
 
ANSWERS FOR “HORSING AROUND” QUIZ: 1b, 2b, 3c, 4b, 5a, 6b, 7b, 8c, 9b, 10c

HOW DO YOU RATE?
8-10 winners: Your horse smarts are ready to be parlayed at the betting window. 5-7 winners: The middle ground is fine as long as you’re pointing in the right direction. 4 or fewer: Maybe get a good grounding in rocking horses first.

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3975 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3K 2E9
Ph (204) 885.3330 • Fax (204) 831.5348

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