It’s Derby Day at Assiniboia Downs (ASD) on Monday (August 5th)! An exciting eight-race card is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. CDT. Along with the $125,000 Manitoba Derby, the card also features the $50,000 Harvey Warner Manitoba Mile Stakes and the $50,000 Escape Clause.
The best betting options on the night are the Jackpot Pick 5 wager which starts in the fourth race and runs through to the end of the card. The $1 Pick 4 with a $100,000 guaranteed pool starts in the fifth race. The final two races will both feature a $1 Classic Hi-5 wager as well.
A free program and other helpful resources can be found here.
Don’t worry if you can’t make it to the track because you can watch ASD’s stream live here.
Manitoba Derby Selections
#3 Bricklayer (5/2)
The Always Dreaming colt is coming into the big race with back-to-back wins. He likes to sit at the back of the pack and strikes late. His recent win was a mile distance race at Canterbury Park on July 14th. He won the race with a time of 1:40.39. Before that, he was racing in Kentucky and scored a win at the legendary Churchill Downs. He was the best in a mile and 1/16th race and again he charged late to steal the win. The time of that win was 1:44.83. Bricklayer has only those two wins on his record, but he has earned over $80,000 in prize money. This is his first start at ASD and even his first start in Canada. Luis Fuentes has made the trip north and will climb aboard.
#8 Awesome Road (7/5)
Another southern invader making his ASD and Canada racing debut is the Quality Road colt, Awesome Road. He has yet to win this year and only has one win in his career which came in August of last year at Ellis Park. However, he is the morning line favourite likely due to the level of racing and the fact that he is the second-highest lifetime earning in the field at $129,993. Awesome Road has made starts at Louisiana Downs, Lone Star, and Oaklawn Park this year. He only has one top-three finish this year but it came in a Claimer race that was going for $140,000. Awesome Road also finished fourth in the $800,000 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park earlier this year. He also earned a cheque in the $400,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes last year with his fifth-place performance. Antonio Whitehall is assigned jockey duties for Awesome Road.
#7 Itsallgoodman (8/1)
A potential longshot to keep an eye on is the Speightster colt, Itsllgooman. He opens at 8/1
morning line odds but he is the top earning in the field at $138,300. This will be his first appearance outside of Alberta as he has been racing at Century Downs and Century Mile exclusively. He also has yet to win this year but he has three trips to the winner’s circle in his campaign. Itsallgoodman has only attempted one race at a similar distance which was his last time out at Century Mile. In a mile and 1/16th race, he finished second by less than a length. Rasheed Hughes has also made the trip to ASD for the big race and will get the mount.
My Picks.
Race 1
#6 Finaliza (5/2)
#4 Exotic’s Bear (7/5)
#2 Big Ticket (9/2)
Race 2
#3 Reserve Proof (5/2)
#2 Gallant oak (9/5)
#4 Happy Camper
Race 3
#3 Ice Storm (2/1)
#5 Valid Defence (3/1)
#8 Green Amazon (7/2)
Race 4
#5 Hot Stove League (3/1)
#8 Last Renegade (2/1)
#7 Senor Jobim (4/1)
Race 5
#4 Spitten Kitten (2/1)
#9 Burrow Down (5/2)
#1 Damn The Torpedoes (10/1)
Race 6
#1 Exacting (9/5)
#3 Blazing Bo (5/2)
#5 Magic Tiger (4/1)
Race 7
#3 Bricklayer (5/2)
#8 Awesome Road (7/5)
#7 Itsallgoodman (8/1)
Race 8
#1 Starship Chewbacca (7/2)
#3 My Noah (6/1)
#6 Mr. Dazzle (5/2)
Pick 5
5,7,8/1,4,9/1,3,5,6/3,7,8/1,3