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Hi friends! It's
always fun writing this report, keeping you informed about a game I
love. But today's report is particularly
delightful to write because I can tell you about a bunch of nice guys
who finished first--literally, in the Winners' Circle, with a horse few
thought had much of a chance. It takes you behind the scenes to show
you what it takes to turn the tables on a dream-team horse. More on
that in a moment.
Top of the week?
Taking stock of the opportunities you should capitalize on as
live racing heads into its final six weeks:
• Three--count 'em, three--fully paid
trips to Las Vegas
must be awarded. You have as
good a shot as anyone at earning one. Hunker down and make it happen! Details below.
• Championship Days, featuring races with
the best horses on the grounds, continue almost weekly
until the climactic $70,000 Breeders' Cup races on the closing
weekend Sept. 22 and 23.
Take in three important stakes races this weekend--
where you can get your VIP Party Card stamped. Details below.
• The Downs'
pick-7 continues to build:
Tomorrow, with $7,100 of carryover money, it should
be edging toward $10,000. Worth
a toonie or two in bets, n'est-ce pas?
I like it because it forces me to thoroughly
handicap all races--which then gives me opportunities to
win the pick-3's and pick-4, too!
All right, about those nice guys who finished first ...
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Proud moment: Proving the
naysayers wrong
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Cuthbertson watches in disbelief
as he's edged
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Trainer Anderson: "Nice
guys."
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HASTINGS DISCARD OVERPOWERS
DREAM TEAM
Leading trainer, leading jockey, classiest horse,
everybody's key in the pick-7 and pick-3. But, who's this upstart horse making a
move on this dream-team horse coasting to the finish line? A Hastings
Park
discard? Who does he think he
is? A winner. Just a winner, thank you very
much.
And so it was in Sunday's last live race. A bit of a shocker when American Poet with Ken Hendricks aboard, looked Alan Cuthbertson-ridden, Marty Drexler-trained Whiskey Run in the eye in the
last few strides before the wire and surged by, paying $21.40 to
win. It couldn't have happened
to a nicer bunch of horse owners--Ken
Porter, Bill Drew, regulars
who just love the sport and, on good faith, chipped in their pay
cheques with a few others to bring a horse from Hastings
Park
in Vancouver
for their stable named "Dark Cloud." The horse, on paper at least, looked
like he was a quitter and the boys had to put up with plenty of
negative comments from local punters. But sharp local trainer Carl Anderson knew this horse
would love--or at least, like--the Downs. The horse had shown some early-pace
talent but was "ouchy" at Hastings
which has a very hard surface some horses just can't handle. Vancouver
trainer and inside-man Harold
Barroby said so. The Downs'
softer footing, he suggested, would be a better fit. Shrewd spotting.
And that assessment proved to be right.
The excitement in the Winners' Circle after the race was
over the top. Did any of the
owners--could any of the owners--sleep that night? "I
know it was no derby race," owner Ken
Porter said the next day, "but,
wow, it was really exciting for me." I couldn't
have been happier about their win, too, and, yes, that's me on the
extreme left in the Winners' Circle photo above. They called me in to join them. I, too, had continued to believe in
their horse and had included him on my tickets despite being lectured
that I should know better. "I
like them," trainer Anderson
said of the owners. "They're nice guys." And that was the prime reason he
chose to train for them, he said.
It's nice when niceness wins the day--and a horse race--isn't
it?
Memo: The Dark Cloud boys own a second
horse, Western Performer,
that races in tomorrow (Friday) night's fourth race at the Downs. Can they make it two for two?
THREE VEGAS TRIPS TO BE WON: Will it be you?
Over
the next six weeks of live racing, three trips for two to Las Vegas will be
awarded--plus entry into big money contests once you get to the Nevada hot spot.
Will it be you? Might as well
be. Here are the three contests
that will give you a trip:
•
Saturday, Aug. 25. The usual month-end horseplayer
tournament at the Downs. The player whose
imaginary bankroll grows the most, betting $2 win/place on races
that night, goes to Vegas and participates in the $1
million Coast Casinos Horseplayer World Series in
January. Pre-qualify for the
Aug. 25 tourney by predicting the winners of Downs races this
Saturday. Or pay $50 to enter
before
9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 24.
•
Saturday, Sept. 22. Final horseplayer tourney to go to
Vegas. Same rules as
above. Pre-qualify by predicting winners on any Saturday's
live race card.
•
Sunday, Sept. 23. Poker Grand Finale at the Downs. Winner goes to Vegas and
is entered into a World Series of Poker event. How to get into
the grand finale? Finish
first or second in the regular Friday and Saturday night
poker games after the races. Play free "show parlay challenge" to get a
seat.
CHAMPIONSHIP DAYS: Is your card filling up?
 So, have you qualified yet as a VIP to come to the
season-ending party at the Downs? You'll get another chance this
Saturday and Sunday to get another credit on your VIP Party Card. Don't forget to bring it!
Championship
Day Saturday: The $45,000 Distaff for
the best Manitoba-bred girl horses on the grounds, three years and
up.
Championship
Day Sunday: the $45,000
Agassiz Stakes featuring the best Manitoba-bred male horses, three
years and up.
Six to eight
stamped spaces (bronze level) on your VIP card gets you free food,
drinks, T-shirt and hob-nobbing with racing personalities on the last
day of live racing, Sunday, Sept. 23.
Nine to 11 stamped spaces (silver level) gets you all of the
above plus a theme night dinner for two. Twelve stamps (gold level) gets you
all of above plus a $10 betting voucher.
COUNTDOWNS: Are you ready for . . . ?
• 71 DAYS: Breeders' Cup Championship,
the biggest day in racing, at Monmouth
Park
in New Jersey. (Friday, Oct. 26 & Saturday, Oct. 27)
•
136 DAYS: The Downs' 50th anniversary year
begins (Jan.
1, 2008). Nostalgia will never be so much fun! What's your fondest memory?
WEEK'S TOP WINNER$: Texas hold 'em: Friday's
winners included Derek
Patience ($100), Ed McKenna
($50) Lisa Young ($25). Saturday's
winners were Rod Zaretsky
($100), Rob Atras ($50)
and Andy Kolodiejchuk ($25).
Top two each day will get a seat in the Sept. 23 finale for a
trip to Las Vegas and a Texas hold 'em
world series event. (Want a seat
at the tables? Play show parlay
challenge.)
•
Friday's Insta-Frame Fantastic Fan: Don
Oullette's name was drawn from show parlay entrants last
Friday to play the big-shot and make a Winners' Circle
presentation.
•
Top "show-parlay challenge" players: On-track, Arlene Larrio increased her
imaginary $10 to $145 in three races. Off-track the best player was Nick Sciangula who
upped his $10 to $135 at the Days Inn.
•
First and worst: Shirley
Burton picked up $50 Sunday for being the only person
to correctly predict the first and last place finishers in Fort Erie's seventh
race.
•
Which newspaper selects horses better? George
Williams of the Free Press maintains his lead over the
Sun's Bill Bilous 144 to 131.
HORSEPLAY TIP OF THE WEEK:
Look for gameness
Mid-August is a turning point at race tracks that started
their meets in the spring. Gameness
becomes more important than class.
Horses that are game can readily climb the class ladder, winning
race after race even though they once were cheaper horses.
NEW WINNING LUCKY NUMBER$ for this week: Did you pick
up a free Lucky Number card for August when you were at the track on Derby
weekend? If the number on your
card matches one of these numbers, you're a winner! $25 winner:
8800 $10
winners: 8810, 8779 $5
winners: 5618, 7132, 5945, 7441, 8315. Claim your
prize at www.assiniboiadowns.com See
additional lucky numbers worth up to $200 posted weekly on the Lucky
Numbers page on the website. Next Lucky
Number distribution days:
Sunday, Sept. 2 and Labour Day Monday,
Sept. 3.
BEER AND CHEESE SOUP starts off
tonight's German Taste the World theme night buffet in the Downs' Terrace
Dining Room from 5 to 8
p.m. Bavarian sausage salad, cabbage
rolls, pork schnitzel, braised chicken with sauerkraut are just the
beginning. Full menu here. All you can
eat $14.95. Next Thursday's theme:
Chinese. Phone 885-3330
to reserve.
UPCOMING EVENTS: It's
Newbie Nite Saturday night in the trackside tent starting at 6:30 p.m.
Tell friends this is the night to find out about a game you love
in a fun atmosphere, with games, free food, prizes, chatty
presentations. Email Chelsea,
telling her about the first-timers you have lined up: promotions@assiniboiadowns.com
Must-see
simulcast: After live
racing Sunday, Del Mar features three top stakes races well worth
watching: the $1 million Pacific Classic in which Lava Man will be
defending his title, the Pat O'Brien Handicap and the Del Mar Mile.
NEXT INSIDER: Gigantic
horsey corn maze opens Sept. 7 near Stonewall with the biggest
depiction of dueling horses on the planet! How you can share in the fun.
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