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DO THE DOWNS

Want highlights for the next 10 days? Click calendar.
What tracks are racing in September? Find out here.
What are today’s $$$ carryovers? See them here.
Download 2021 LIVE RACING SCHEDULE here.

NEW HPI REWARDS AND BONUS PROGRAM: Do you have your new HPIbet account card that replaces the previous HPI card and the ASD Player Rewards card? Assiniboia Downs has joined the HPI rewards and bonus program and the new program began Monday, Feb. 1. See details here. If you haven't received your new card in the mail call 204-885-3330 (ext. 225) to check on the status.

DELICIOUS DINING AT ASD with daily specials. Fridays feature a Top Sirloin Steak dinner for $24.95 and Saturdays it’s Certified Angus Prime Rib dinner also for $24.95. Dinners are served from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Canadian country star Dean Brody entertains next Friday

MANITOBA NIGHT MARKET THIS SUNDAY: The second night market of the summer goes this Sunday from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. on the ASD grounds featuring exhibitors and artisans galore, a dozen food trucks, 10 bands, a beer garden and more. Admission at the gate $7; parking $5. (Full immunization required.)

“COUNTRY SUMMER” COMES TO THE DOWNS NEXT WEEKEND: Captain Morgan presents Dean Brody next Friday in a two-day concert event at the Downs. Friday also features Petric. Saturday’s entertainment will include the James Barker Band, Jess Moskaluke and Tyler Joe Miller. See poster here. Get tickets here. (Full immunization required.)

GREEDY CORNER: Gulfstream’s 20-cent Jackpot pick-6 is more than $400K and the 20-cent Jackpot pick-5 at Del Mar is more than $300K. Note the mandatory payouts at Saratoga and Del Mar on Monday. (Join in group play!) See list of carryovers here.

MANDATORY MADNE$$ MONDAY
Two pick-6 pools must go on Monday as the meets come to an end at Saratoga and Del Mar. The 20-cent Jackpot pick-6 at Del Mar should be close to $2 million while the $1 pick-6 at Saratoga will be whatever it has grown to after having been won on Wednesday.

Interested in joining group play at the Downs Monday morning to shoot for a share of the mandatory pools? Then come to the Clubhouse plaza at 10:30 a.m.

Larry Liebrecht and I will host a discussion centering around the Saratoga and Del Mar pick-6 -- and also consider the early pick-5 at Woodbine which is a 20-cent bet.

Which pool(s) seem most winnable? That will be the guiding factor. Take a look at all three and bring your opinions. Note you must be fully immunized to enter ASD. Note also that group play now WILL NOT INVOLVE Assiniboia Downs. The group will simply pool its money at the meeting.

After “I won bigger” group play ended in the spring, Larry and I continued to play as partners and have been very successful at it, even winning a $10,000 pick-5 at Santa Anita for an outlay of $100, and we hope to bring those winning ways to group play.

Sheldon Chickeness, aboard Funny Flowers, holds up five fingers for his five wins on Wednesday’s card. Impressive! (Jason Halstead photo)

A BIG, BIG SHOUT-OUT to Sheldon Chickeness who bagged five wins Wednesday night, the only jockey this meet to do so and his first five-bagger in two decades of riding. The all-Chickeness pick-4 paid $126.55 for $1. “Chicky” won with:

• Race 2 -- Witt’s Tenny Ten trained by Jerry Gourneau $9.10
• Race 4 -- Wolowitz trained by Lee Delaronde $12.20
• Race 5 -- Double Time trained by Steve Thompson $3.50
• Race 6 -- Cimpl Man trained by Steve Keplin, Jr. $5,00
• Race 7 -- Funny Flowers trained by Steve Keplin, Jr. $4.00

A BIG SHOUT-OUT to Miss Imperial and Mongolian Wind, both of whom were named 2020 Horse of the Year by the HBPA of Manitoba when voters couldn’t decide whether a locally-raced multiple stakes-winning mare or the interloper winner of the Manitoba Derby should get the honour.

Owing to these COVID times, the awards were handed out in the paddock Saturday in presentations meant for the camera and not for people. Shout-outs to the other award-winners as well!

• The Murray Duncan gang get honoured for Miss Imperial who was named 2020’s top Older Mare, Champion Sprinter and Horse of the Year in a tie (Jason Halstead photo)

  3-Year Old Colt/Gelding of 2020 and Horse of the Year (tie)
  MONGOLIAN WIND -- Trainer: Wade Eno. Owners: Mongolian Stable & Andrew Stronach
• Older Mare of 2020, Sprinter of 2020 & Horse of the Year (tie)
  MISS IMPERIAL -- Trainer: Murray Duncan. Owners: Murray Duncan & the Estate of Garylle B. Stewart
• 2-Year Old Colt/Gelding of 2020
  FREEZING JIMMY -- Trainer: Marvin Buffalo. Owners: Marvin & Deb Buffalo
• Most Astute Claim of 2020
  PROUD AND LOUD -- Trainer: Wendy Anderson. Owner: Wind Dancer Stables
• Retired Thoroughbred of 2020
  ABUGAH -- Owner: Megan McClarty
• Leading Percentage Trainer of 2020
  MURRAY DUNCAN
• 2-Year old Filly of 2020
  MELISANDRE -- Trainer: Michael Nault. Owners: Barry Arnason, True North Thoroughbreds & Charles Fouillard
• 3-year-old Filly of 2020
  KICKALITTLEBOOTY -- Trainer: Brent Hrymak. Owners: Brent & Heather Hrymak

Readers write . . .
"Thank you"

“Thank you, Ivan, for your newsletter on the track every week. I worked there for 41 years, retired and moved to Vancouver Island in 2014. Your newsletter kept me up-to-date on a place I called home for sooo many years. Enjoy your retirement come November. THANK YOU!!!!!!!” -- Dave McDonald

Thanks for the note, Dave. No real retirement for this guy. I have my sites set on unleashing a stable of newly-minted handicappers I’ll be coaching.

WIN A TON IN '21: Can it really be this easy to cash $363? Yes it can.

You add up the in-the-money finishes for all horses in a race and play the top four in a $1 superfecta box for $24. You collect $363.

Yes, it was that simple in the last live race Monday night and, yes, that’s how I played it: The race was a motley crew of maidens and non-winners of two races.

#1 Elsie’s Wish was three for five in the money
#2 Sizzle N Susie was five for 10 in the money
#3 No More Secrets was seven for 12 in the money
#6 Sophie McTrophy was six for nine in the money

No other horse in the nine-horse field was close to those so you box 1-2-3-6. The order of finish was 2-3-6-1. Duh! See program page here. (This is lesson #17 in “quit your job and play the races” teaching I will be doing after I move on from The Insider in November.)