Quarantine forces Assiniboia to alter racing schedule

Assiniboia Downs has announced a temporary change to its racing schedule due to measures taken in response to a recent equine health concern.

Starting the week of July 15, racing will shift to a Monday-Tuesday schedule until Aug. 12, after which the regular Monday-through-Wednesday schedule will resume.

Following the identification and immediate containment of a single case of an equine herpesvirus, the barns at Assiniboia have been placed under quarantine to prevent any further spread. While the quarantine allows horses to continue racing, it restricts any new horses from entering or leaving the barn area. This limitation will eventually strain the horse supply, prompting the decision to adjust the racing schedule to ensure that horses receive adequate rest between starts during this period.

"It is very unfortunate to have this happen, but we are very pleased it was addressed right away,” said Assiniboia CEO Darren Dunn. “We realize that it is still an ongoing issue with the quarantine, but we are confident that there will not be any further cases after the entire horse population was freshly tested and all returned with negative results, indicating no additional cases. A second and final test of all horses in late July will lift the quarantine should the results remain negative.

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“Regardless of how disruptive this is, the health and welfare of our equine athletes must come first. We appreciate the support and cooperation of our horse people and fans as we navigate through this."

Despite the initial dip in average field size following the quarantine, Assiniboia has seen a strong recovery. There has been a 7.7 percent increase in wagering this year and a 14 percent gain when excluding the quarantine's first week.

The ASD Jackpot Pick 5 is currently at $279,062. Assiniboia is also offering a $50,000 guaranteed pick four and recently introduced rolling doubles.

To maintain the scheduled 50-day racing season, the canceled dates will be added to the end of the season, with the final day of racing now set for Sept. 24.

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