Manitoba Derby highlights 50-day Assiniboia Downs meet
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The popular Winnipeg track Assiniboia Downs kicks of its 2026 racing season on Tuesday, the opening day of a 50-day meet that runs until Oct. 7.
Racing will be conducted on a Tuesday/Wednesday evening schedule, for the most part. There will be Monday racing on June 1, June 22, July 13, Aug. 3, Aug. 24, and Sept. 14. Post time for all programs is 7:30 p.m. Central.
As usual, the highlight of the meet is the $125,000 Manitoba Derby on Aug. 3. The 1 1/8-mile contest for 3-year-olds was won by Attack last year following the disqualification of favored Take Charge Tom.
Five-time leading trainer Jerry Gourneau has a 40-horse stable with more on the way for perennial leading owner Henry S. Witt. Jr. Other top trainers back in action include Jason Homer, Wendy Anderson, Tom Gardipy Jr., Eugene Burns, and Steve Keplin Jr.
Assiniboia Downs CEO Darren Dunn said the horse population is healthy, but it may take some time for the field sizes to increase.
“Once all horses have arrived, we should be tracking for an increased population of about 10 percent over 2025,” Dunn explained. “In saying that, with the unusually cold and snowy spring weather, we had significantly compromised spring training and our customers will not see evidence of improved field size until a few weeks into the race meet - and in fact we only had six races to draw from for opening day – this should be temporary.”
Dunn said the takeout rates and wagering menu remain the same as last year, for the most part,
“Our takeout rates will continue at the exact same low levels as 2025,” Dunn said. “We are adding a new bet called the Prime Pick 3 with a $3 (minimum).”
Dunn said there are a few new faces in the jockey colony. Prayven Badrie, who led the Assiniboia standings in 2024, has been riding at Woodbine, where he won two races last week.
“There is some young talent from the Caribbean in Rashawn Brewster and Devante Prescod and a couple of new jockeys from Hastings Park - Christopher Mamdeen and Kerron Khelawan,” Dunn said. “On paper, it looks like a battle for the leading rider title between 2025 champion Damario Bynoe and returning three-time champ Antonio Whitehall.”
The feature on Tuesday is the second race, an allowance/optional claimer headed by the 6-5 morning-line favorite from Oaklawn, Ceepeegee.
Ceepeegee is the lone winter-raced runner among the five older male runners in the five-furlong dash. Claimed for $12,500 on March 7, the 5-year-old was a prominent third in a subsequent $10,000 conditioned claimer and is coming off a close third against $16,000 stock that had not won in the previous four months.
Sven Balroop has the mount on Ceepeegee for Keplin Jr., who has impressive numbers with new acquisitions.
Medicine Dog has been sidelined since annexing the June 24 Golden Boy Stakes. He should be forwardly placed near the former Hastings runner Soaringforthesun, who was stakes-placed twice last year.
Completing the second-race field are the consistent Falsely Accused and minor stakes winner Just Trust Me, who has been working quickly at Tampa.
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