The Insider – Assiniboia Downs

Thursday, November 15, 2018

Vol. 13 No. 45 (Issue #663)

By Ivan Bigg

Weekly Horseplayer Report and Fun Stuff

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

Ivan is on holidays
His regular column will return Thursday, Nov. 29

Manitoba super-filly Escape Clause wins $75,000 Kathryn Crosby stakes at Del Mar Watch race here. (Leading horse at the wire is DQed for having taken Escape Clause’s path away)
	Escape Clause enters gate in race 7 Friday at Del Mar

DAILY HIGHLIGHTS

Click to enlarge

PLAY “3 FOR THE MONEY” THIS SATURDAY to win $150 in wagering vouchers. Predict the winners of the first three legs of the early pick-4 at Del Mar (races 2 to 4). Look for entry ballots and program pages in the Race Book.

Official stations of horse racing.
Click to listen

DO THE DOWNS

Enter free VLT tournaments every Friday & Saturday at 8 p.m.

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? Jets, Bombers, NFL.
ASD subscribes to NHL League Pass - watch any NHL game any day!

FREE VLT TOURNAMENTS: Enter in the Club West Gaming lounge every Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. 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.

EVERY FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT: $10 buy-in poker in the clubhouse on the second level. Registration from 8:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Game starts at 8:30 p.m. Maximum of 60 players. No late registration. Royal Flush progressive jackpot for tomorrow, Friday, is $17,995.

ROCK THE MIC: SING WITH A LIVE BAND! Channel your inner rock star at ASD on Thursday, Nov. 15 and 22. Registration 6 p.m.; music and dancing (large dance floor) starts at 7 p.m. Cover charge: $7. This week's special is half-price wine! Enjoy the prime rib buffet in the Terrace Dining Room and receive $2 off your cover charge. Just show your receipt at the admission entrance.

Readers write . . .

ASD horse club meeting on Sunday, Nov. 18

Hi Ivan: “Pretty impressive ‘I won big’ betting results! Could you mention-in your next Insider, that ARC (Assiniboia Racing Club) is holding its 2019 racing year organizational meeting on Sunday, Nov. 18 in the Terrace Dining Room at ASD at 1 p.m.? For more information people can contact me by email at ttjfield99@hotmail.com.” – John Field, HBPA director and ARC coordinator

* * *

"In-the-money worked for me at Breeders' Cup"

Hi Ivan: “I attended the Breeders’ Cup and used the in-the-money angle a couple times with success. Your comments about Gunnevera were spot on (see previous Insider). I was lucky enough to be in the Starting Gate suites for the two Breeders’ Cup days and had a similar experience with someone adamant about Gunnevera being the worst horse in the race. Luckily I didn't listen and made a small bet on him across the board. Was fun watching the loud-mouth tear up his $500 win on Mendelssohn.

“A friend of mine who bred and is 50 per cent owner with Peter Brant came close to winning the Distaff with Wow Cat. Went into the paddock for an up-close view. Was interesting. Same game just higher price tags. Attached is Wow Cat and trainer Chad Brown (inset) .” – Grant Watson, former national president of the CTHS (Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society)

Thanks for putting Insider readers in the paddock at that big event, Grant!

* * *

Daddy's Daughter is 3

Hi Ivan: “Daddy's Daughter is a 3-year-old daughter of Scat Daddy (see previous Insider). The 2-year-old son of Golden Stripe is a horse who debuted this summer at ASD named Gold Record. Good work over the weekend!” – Rob MacLennan, ASD paddock host

Thanks for the clarification, Rob.

Tips ’n’ Tricks

with Marshall Posner

Recapping Breeder’s Cup 2018

It goes without saying that the Breeders’ Cup is the pinnacle of racing and this year was no exception. Personally, I really enjoyed the new format that saw the juvenile races all stacked together on Friday afternoon. I hope they continue this format going forward. Of course, next year’s BC races will be back in California at Santa Anita, followed in 2020 at Keeneland then back to Del Mar for 2021.

Newspaperofrecord posts shortest price ($3.20) in winning Juvenile Fillies with an outstanding performance (Horse Racing Nation photo)

This year’s BC was actually the chalkiest on record since the first event was held in 1984. To put it in perspective, either the betting favourite or second choice won every single BC race except one. The only longshot to cross the line first this year was in the Filly and Mare Sprint where Shamrock Rose won by a neck and paid $53.80. Interestingly, she was the lone filly in the field that had been prepping on synthetic tracks leading up to the event, an angle that has produced 10 of the last 12 winners.

The shortest priced horse over the two days of racing was Newspaperofrecord, who paid 3/5 or $3.20, followed closely by Enable paying 4/5 or $3.60.

Best Performances: In my books, I thought that the standout performances of BC18 belonged to Newspaperofrecord and Bulletin on Day 1 (incidentally, they are both reported to be pointing towards racing at Royal Ascot for 2019) and Enable on Day2 (accomplishing the Arc/Classic double for the first time in stylish victory). An honourable mention goes to City of Lights, who ran the field off their feet in the Dirt Mile and Stormy Liberal, who is an absolute freak, and ran the biggest Beyer (119) of the entire event winning the Turf Sprint.

Biggest disappointments: I don’t think there can be much discussion on these poor performances - Catalina Cruiser never looked like a winner, after a sideways break from the gate in the Dirt Mile and finished out of the money as the heavy favourite. Another big favourite, Imperial Hint, looked flat in the sprint and added to his career record at Churchill Down of 3 starts and no in the money finishes.

Got a question for Marshall? Email theinsider@ASDowns.com

THE BEST OF BOB: How a fence-hopping kid made a difference

Did you know that a kid who hopped the fence at River Park, Whittier Park and Polo Park race tracks went on to become the best thing that happened to Assiniboia Downs? Read “The day that shaped Assiniboia Downs” here. (First published in July, 2015.)

DATES TO CIRCLE

Special Chanukah-themed prime rib buffet set for Thursday, Dec. 6

This Saturday: "I won big" workshop at 10:30 a.m. on the Clubhouse plaza with guest host Ron Phelps (Races 2 to 7 at Woodbine.)
Wednesday, Nov. 21: Zia Park Derby and other stakes. First post: 1:10 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 22: Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. Free breakfast sandwich to the first 50 at the track.
Friday, Nov. 23: Storied $500,000 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs
Saturday, Nov. 24: Player’s Choice horseplayer tourney; Kentucky Derby prep race at Churchill Downs (Kentucky Jockey Club stakes)
Saturday, Dec. 1: Kentucky Derby prep race (the Remsen) at Aqueduct
Thursday, Dec. 6: Chanukah-themed prime rib buffet featuring Chanukah dishes, pasta bar, salad bar and dessert bar. Reserve at 204-885-3330 ext. 0.
Thursday, Dec. 13: Certified Angus prime rib buffet, additional entrees, pasta bar, salad bar and dessert bar. Reserve at phone number above.
Thursday, Dec. 20: Traditional Christmas-themed prime rib buffet, pasta bar, salad bar and dessert bar. Reserve at the phone number above.

NEXT INSIDER: Wednesday, Nov. 21 (the day before U.S. Thanksgiving)