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April Fool! Let's see
how sharp you are. I have at
least one April Fool's joke planted below. Can you spot it (them)? Email me: theinsider@assiniboiadowns.com
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Will Curlin conquer the world?
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Jack Knowlton to speak at awards
banquet
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Remember? Funny Cide winning
Kentucky Derby in 2003
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"Killer plays for a killer Saturday." That's the
title of a free horseplaying seminar Saturday at 9:30 a.m. in the Finish Line that will kick off one of the biggest
Saturdays of the year. The
richest horse race in the world--the $6 million Dubai World Cup
featuring 2007 Horse-of-the-Year Curlin--goes to post in the morning;
the stellar $1 million Florida Derby with the vaunted Kentucky Derby
contender Elysian Fields highlights a full afternoon of racing
and, in the evening, the owner of Kentucky Derby winner Funny Cide
will regale his audience with great stories at the HBPA/CTHS awards
banquet. Does it get any better
than this? First race from Dubai: 9:55 a.m. And, if you need any
further encouragement, Saturday marks the opening day of the newly
renovated Upside Downs in Utah.
What makes Saturday so super?
• Killer
seminar at 9:30 a.m.: Discussions will centre
on ways to capitalize on the
rich races from Dubai, afternoon prime plays to hopefully fatten your wallet as well
as the FINAL CHANCE for a group Magna Pick-5 ticket. Everett "Mr. Handicapper"
Shade will offer his inimitable insights. Handicapping books will be available
for sale. The usual
complimentary coffee and muffins will be served. First race
(we'll play as group) goes at 9:55 a.m. Down in the Finish Line.
• Tour
d' Champs afternoon: Get your card stamped between noon and 4 p.m.
at the Race Book kiosk for another chance to win a trip to
the Breeders' Cup.
More draws for classy Santa Anita merchandise. No card? Ask for one Saturday.
• Florida Derby: Keep your eyes on Elysian
Fields. Maybe not a Pyro,
but a very
gutsy horse that I'll go out on a limb to predict a top
four finish in the Kentucky
Derby. Exploded from
the field for his maiden win then, in the Fountain of Youth
stakes, had an overdrive gear to go after the horse that
had passed him in the
stretch.
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Horsemen's awards banquet: This is your once-a-year opportunity to mingle
with the prime players on the live
racing scene over a delicious dinner.
Tickets
are $50 but the speaker alone is worth the price: ..... Jack Knowlton, who
will take you behind the scenes at the Kentucky Derby,
Preakness and Belmont
Stakes because his horse, Funny Cide, raced in all
three races in 2003, winning
the first two. Tickets available in the Downs main office. Phone
885-3330.
SLUGFEST
Round one goes to Stretch
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Stretch vs
Bigg
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"Exciting" is the word even Stretch used to describe my longshot plays
that were contentious right to the wire in my first round of plays in
our 20-play slug fest he's writing about each day in his Bettor's
Blog. If any of my longshot
plays had won, instead of finishing second, third and fourth, my
bankroll would have soared. But
those horses still contributed to handsome returns in triactors or superfectas. So Stretch's bankroll at this point,
about one-third through the contest, is about $120 ahead of mine. Hardly time for me to panic. I expected him to plod along as is
his style, putting place money on favourites or near-favourites. And I'm sure he's wary of the fact
that my aggressive style can, in one jump, score a knockout punch. On the day I didn't have a chance to
make early selections (Tuesday), I found a nice $65 win/$25 place play
at Mountaineer (race 7) that padded my non-contest bankroll that
night. To my backers: I realize my obligation to you so you
can bet I am re-invigorating myself in my corner to come out swinging
in Round 2 with extra-vigilant tactical blows.
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50th ANNIVERSARY
NOSTALGIA
What was playing on the
radio, the year Assiniboia Downs was born?
All I Have To Do Is Dream
The Everly Brothers
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"My most memorable moment"
It's never too early to horse around
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Rob
Atras
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At 22, Rob
Atras last year was the youngest winner ever of the Triple
Crown challenge which required contestants to predict the best
3-year-old horses from hundreds.
But, as his mother, Tanis (and current Triple Crown
leader), says in this memorable moment, Rob has been "living"
racing for a long, long time:
"When Rob was about four, he spent a lot of time in
trainer Jack Robertson's barn at the track where he was
introduced to Tony Lupinetti, about five, whose Dad was a
trainer. The kids borrowed a
whip and goggles and pretended they were jockeys, racing up and
down the chute. One day,
trainer Gary Danelson came along with whips he had made for the
boys--one from a fishing rod, the other an old whip pieced together
with tape. The boys were
thrilled. I don't know what
excited them more: having
their own whips or the fact the whips were made for them by Gary
Danelson." Ah
yes, to be a kid again where hanging around the stables had to be a
real kick. Uh, real joy.
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WINNERS' CORNER
Come out Friday to watch poker finale!
Who's going to be crowned
grand champion in the Downs' winter poker finale Friday night? Come out and see. Two top players from each of the past
10 weeks of playing will be competing for $1,000 cash at two poker
tables in the Clubhouse. Last
week, the final two to get into the finale were assembly technician Ed
McKenna and math prof Jim Roberts. Both good-naturedly agreed to split
the $100 prize last week, rather than hammer each other into submission
to the end. "All ins" went Ed's way and Jim had two
double-ups halfway through the game to bump up his chip count. Other
winners last weekend:
• Show
parlay challenge Friday night: Rick Zaretsky
• Death by
Stampede Saturday
afternoon: transit worker Roger Jones had
the
seemingly impossible #10 horse in a Stampede Park dash but the horse overcame
the terrible post to finish second to give him the win in a
head-to-head confrontation
with Wesley Joss who had the horse in post position
#1. Roger received $100 in
betting vouchers.
"Death" continues this Saturday.
• Double
Play Saturday night: Congrats to horseman Glen
Miller and Terry
Pagee who received $65 each for predicting show horses
in all six contest races,
three from the Meadowlands, three from Sam
Houston. They were the biggest
winners on the night. Popular Double Play continues this
Saturday at 7:30 p.m. with
$175 in prize money.
TIP O' THE WEEK Watch for
two-horse duels
It's human nature to watch
the progress of your horse in a race.
But at least keep this in the back of your mind while you're
watching a race: If you see two
horses duking it out on the front end, with one horse putting away the
other horse and going on to win, MAKE NOTE OF THE HORSE THAT WAS PUT
AWAY. Often, that horse will
fade to fourth or worse. BUT NEXT TIME, IF HE GETS THE LEAD BY HIMSELF, HE'LL WIN! So pay attention to
his next start and see whether he has the possibility of getting the
lead to himself. This is a very
valuable, money-making play.
BIG BOLD TEXAS BBQ TONITE (and prime
play) Sink your teeth
into giant deliciously-glazed beef ribs tonight from 5 to 8 p.m. in the Terrace Dining Room as the popular big bold
flavour of Texas barbeque stages a theme nite comeback. All you can eat only $14.95. Full menu. Oh-oh. Sorry,
I've just been told that it's sold out. But my Inside Source on Arabian
horses called in this prime play for you at Sam Houston for tomorrow
night: Race 6 #5 Djet Set De
Falgus. "He hated a
wet track last time. On a dry
track, he should crush." Next Thursday's theme: German. Call
885-3330 to reserve.
UPCOMING EVENTS Derby pace quickens
Next Saturday,
April 5, it's the Santa Anita Derby and, from Aqueduct, the Wood Memorial
Stakes. The week after that will
feature Kentucky Derby favourite Pyro racing for the first time
over Polytrack in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland where, last year,
the Derby contenders produced controversial slow-as-molasses
fractions. What will happen this
year?
ATTENTION MTS CUSTOMERS:
Starting April 1,
races will be shown on Cable 179 & 180, a move from 194 &
195. To see how this affects
you, phone 1-877-333-5388.
See you on World Cup Saturday!
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