Assiniboia Downs bettors put their money where their mount is

You could tell Assiniboia Downs was having a great season by the size of the wagering pools and the constantly growing crowds, but we certainly didn’t expect them to shatter their previous wagering record by a whopping $12 million.

Fans wagered an unprecedented total of $75.2 million on the live racing this season, which ended Wednesday, bettering the previous mark of $63.2 million set in 2020. Average wagering per card was $1.5 million, and wagering was up 21.16 per cent over the previous season.

One of the major reasons for the increase in wagering was the track’s strategic move over the past few years to reduce all takeouts on wagers to below 20 per cent, something that is very rare at North American tracks for obvious reasons, but it results in higher payoffs and puts more money back in the pockets of bettors.

The reduced takeout was a long-term play, and it absolutely worked. Kudos to Assiniboia Downs CEO Darren Dunn, VP of Finance and Gaming Sharon Gulyas and their management team for thinking well ahead of the curve. All the staff deserve a pat on the back this year for their excellent customer service, both on the betting side and in the food and beverage area. The nightly prime rib buffet was almost always sold out, and the newly minted Girls Night Out on Wednesday evenings turned out to be a huge hit among the ladies, with fancy hats and outfits everywhere.

Steve Keplin, Jr., won his first training title at the Downs with 40 wins, and like a classy lone speed horse, once he opened up in the standings he was impossible to catch. The 31-year-old conditioner from the Turtle Mountain Chippewa Reserve in Belcourt, N.D., had his horses extremely well prepared for every race they ran in, and he was always the man to beat.

Keplin’s victory marked the 11th consecutive season that the Assiniboia Downs leading trainer title has been won by a First Nations trainer. The achievement was recognized during the closing day program by special guest Chief Murray Clearsky of Waywayseecappo First Nation, who presented the trophy to the new champion.

Trainer Mike Nault also had an excellent year, finishing in the runner-up spot with 32 wins, followed by five-time leading trainer Jerry Gourneau (30 wins), Wendy Anderson (24) and Jared Brown (23). Gourneau arrived late in the season and made some big moves, but just couldn’t catch Keplin, while all the trainers in the top five had strong seasons. Also worthy of mention among trainers were old/new arrivals Dewy Williams, Jason Homer and Mike Pierce, all welcome additions to the local fray who had strong seasons.

One more talented trainer that we just can’t leave out is Devon Gittens, who began his training career here in 2019. Gittens split his time this year between Assiniboia Downs and Woodbine, where he conditions horses for Canada’s leading owner Bruno Schickedanz. Gittens won the CTHS Sales Stakes and the Buffalo Stakes (by the largest winning margin in North America that day, 17 3/4 lengths) with the ultra-talented Mighty Mikee for the ownership partnership of breeders Larry Falloon, Anne Champion, and Mclaren Racing, while also winning 13 races locally and another 26 races at Woodbine, where he is sixth in the standings.

Damario Bynoe won his first riding title at Assiniboia Downs with 60 victories. The 33-year-old from Barbados battled long and hard with three-time ASD leading rider Antonio Whitehall, but drew away in the final weeks with some of the most dominant riding we’ve seen here in ages. If Bynoe was on a horse, it always had a chance to win.

Bynoe finished 12 wins in front of Whitehall and put an exclamation mark on his first title with a romping win aboard Track Robber in the final race of the season for trainer Mike Pierce. Rounding out the top five in the standings were Sven Balroop (36), Prayven Badrie (29), who was injured mid-season, and Rachaad Knights (24). Also notable was new apprentice Ciera Pruitt, who won 12 races during her first year in the saddle.

The $125,000 Manitoba Derby on Aug. 4 was the highlight of the season, and it involved some controversy when the horse that crossed the wire first, Take Charge Tom, was disqualified for interference, but the officials really had no choice. Take Charge Tom clearly caused major interference early in the race.

Attack, conditioned by Craig Robert Smith for ownership partners Smokin Guns Stable, Highfield Investment Group, Inc., Lucky Diamonds Racing, Jamie Graham, and Dialed In Racing Stable, and ridden by N’Rico Prescod, was elevated to the win spot, and went on to finish third in the Canadian Derby (G3) at Century Mile.

Fans wagered a record $323,267 on the Manitoba Derby, boosting the Derby card handle to $3,974,168, the second-highest daily handle in track history.

And finally, of all the other stakes run at Assiniboia Downs this season, the 96^th running of $50,000 Winnipeg Futurity on Sept. 30 had its own special brand of sentiment. The race was won by Omaha Warrior, who was trained by Jared Brown and beautifully ridden to victory by Whitehall for 88-year-old Gary Danelson and his longtime partner in love and horses, Bonnie McCrory.

The all-time leading trainer at the Downs with 1,295 wins, Danelson retired from training last year after suffering a broken hip in the stall, courtesy of Kate’s Princess. Danelson, who first arrived at Assiniboia Downs in 1958, had won every stakes race at the Downs as a trainer except the Winnipeg Futurity and the Manitoba Derby. One down. One to go.

“What a finish this year with record wagering and the remarkable achievements from Damario and Steve Keplin Jr., both earning their first titles,” said Dunn. “We are so grateful for our growing fanbase of loyal horseplayers, the horsepeople that are giving it their all every day, and all the staff that helps to bring it all together.

“Thank you for another outstanding season.”