[caption id="attachment_2730" align="alignright" width="243" caption="Happy crew with Agassiz winner C.C. Ride."][/caption] by George Favourites scored in five of the eight races on Saturday night at the Downs, including the $30,000 Agassiz and the $30,000 Distaff, and the Pick-4 carryover from Friday night stimulated the pool to reach an astonishing $44,534 before the fourth race.…
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Zdeno wins $40,000 Sales Stakes, 20-1 Ancellotta creates $5,501 Pick-4 carryover
[caption id="attachment_2713" align="alignright" width="270" caption="Zdeno wins 2013 CTHS Sales Stakes at ASD, Tyrone Nelson up."][/caption] by George You could just tell it was going to be a weird night after jockey Jerry Pruitt put the field to sleep with the longest shot on the board in the first race. Polar Breeze got away with…
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Rob’s ASD Picks and Wagering Strategies for August 16-17, 2013
by Rob A few years ago a long-time owner and racegoer Bob King spent a month narrating his picks in a blog. His musings, as wacky and off-beat as they might have been, were sometimes interesting to read. Over the last five weeks of the season that’s what I have set out to do,…
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Was Liz’s Pride the best filly or mare ever to race at Assiniboia Downs?
[caption id="attachment_2693" align="alignright" width="270" caption="Liz's Pride - Champion 2-Year-Old Filly in Canada 1978. Irwin Driedger up."][/caption] The "Pride" of Stoneacres Farm was one flashy filly! by Bob Who was the greatest filly or mare to ever race at the Downs? Questions like this are fun. They inspire debate and good-natured banter, and let’s face…
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Jockey’s first local win sets off huge Pick-4 payoff
[caption id="attachment_2649" align="alignright" width="270" caption="Hilario Estrella & Adieu My Friend at 24-1. Congrats! Click Image to Watch."][/caption] Estrella wins final two races Saturday night with wide rallies in wet stuff by George Jockey Hilario Estrella came flying home aboard Adieu My Friend in Saturday night’s seventh race at ASD to nail heavy favourite Flying…
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Joseph Nandor Selyem, A Man For All Horses
[caption id="attachment_2618" align="alignright" width="270" caption="Joseph Selyem. First win! Kelsey Dancer, June 7, 1967. Assiniboia Downs."][/caption] Not a horse was born that he wouldn’t ride! by Bob Perhaps legendary Downs' trainer, the late Don Gray, described him best when he said: “He is outstanding on horses that are a little erratic or nervous. He’s always…
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2013 Manitoba Lotteries Derby Entries – Post Positions, Odds, Jockeys, Trainers, Owners
$75,000 Manitoba Lotteries Derby Entries - Assiniboia Downs Race 8, Monday, August 5, 2013 - Approximate Post Time: 4:53 PM Purse $75,000. 3-Year-Olds. 1 1/8-Miles. Dirt. Win, Place, Show, Superfecta, Triactor, Super High Five, Exactor & Quinella Wagering Post Horse M/L Odds Jockey Trainer Owner 1 El Cadete 25-1 Renaldo Cumberbatch Shelley Brown Tom…
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Cecil James Filby – Extraordinarily Ordinary Man
by Bob Anyone who has been around the Downs for a while has likely heard of Cecil Filby, and as our Manitoba Derby fast approaches some may wonder why I selected him for this week’s remembrance. Was it for his accomplishments in our prestigious Derby? Was it for his life-long achievements at the Downs? No.…
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A look at the weekend’s 2-year-old races at ASD
[caption id="attachment_2573" align="alignright" width="270" caption="Janine Smith winning the final leg of the ASD Pick-4 on Wednesday aboard Got Zip. The pool was over $29,000! A $2 ticket paid $736.90."][/caption] Rob's ASD Pick and Analysis for the July 26 weekend by Rob This weekend of racing features three races restricted to Manitoba-bred 2-year-olds. On paper…
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15 minutes with Smoky Cinder
[caption id="attachment_2536" align="alignright" width="270" caption="Smoky Cinder in 1999."][/caption] Competitive fires still burning in local living legend by Bob Who knew? Downs’ legendary graded stakes-placed and multiple stakes winner Smoky Cinder, a grandson of the mighty Northern Dancer, is alive and well at 20! One night at the track I approached the man who used…
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