SPIN TO WIN THURSDAYS AND FRIDAYS IN THE CLUBWEST GAMING LOUNGE - Enter at the VLT cage every Thursday and Friday for a chance to spin the wheel for up to $100 cash! Draws will be made every 30 minutes starting at noon.

MONDAY MADNESS EVERY MONDAY IN MAY - 4% cash back on all eligible wagering Mondays in May. Minimum wagered $100 (each Monday). Maximum deposit $25 (each Monday). Wagers must be placed on HPI account to qualify. ($2.10 payoffs not included.)

ASD OPENING WEEK BONUS - 3% cash back on all eligible wagering on Assiniboia Downs on Tuesday, May 31 and Wednesday, June 1. Minimum wagered $100. Maximum deposit $25. Wagers must be placed on HPI account to qualify. ($2.10 payoffs not included.)

NEW! ASD PLAYER PORTAL - All the important information you need for Assiniboia Downs live racing is now in one place! Watch the live feed and ASD Live handicapping show in HD. Plus free ASD programs, free Brisnet pps, jockey and trainer bios, expert tips from ASD, Canadian Thoroughbred and Horse Racing Nation. Bookmark this page and check back daily as programs and picks will be added as they are available.

FATHER'S DAY BRUNCH: Treat Dad to brunch on his special day! Sunday, June 19 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Click here for full menu. Adults $44.95, 12 & under $21.95, 5 & under $9.95. For tickets call 204-885-3330.

Five more sleeps until live racing kicks off at ASD on Tuesday, May 31 at 7:30 p.m. and we’ve already got a top notch jockey colony ready to roll!

The pandemic prevented some of the top riders from returning to Assiniboia Downs in 2020 and 2021, but they’re back in full force now and they're all working hard in the mornings to secure the best mounts.

Long gone are the days when a top jockey could rest on their laurels, show up at 9 a.m. to work one horse and still ride the card. Most of this year’s jockey colony, including past champions, are getting on more than 10 horses every morning.

The jockeys that exercise large numbers of horses are not only making money in the mornings, they’re also gaining the loyalty of the trainers they’re working for. In the past, many jockeys would come out in the mornings only to work horses. Now they’re all coming out to give horses routine gallops, which allows them to get to know the horses they’ll be riding in the live races. Great for the rider. Even better for the fans.

Every edge counts.

Assiniboia Downs Track Announcer Kirt Contois delivers a heartfelt speech written by ASD CEO Darren Dunn who was absent from the event due to illness, to a large crowd at the Celebration of Life for the late Harvey Warner at Assiniboia Downs last Saturday. (Jason Halstead photo)

A large crowd that included family, friends, loved ones and dignitaries attended the Celebration of Life for the late Harvey Warner, the longtime Chair of the Manitoba Jockey Club (MJC), last Saturday at Assiniboia Downs. Thank you to everyone who came out to pay their respects to a man who was truly an icon of the Canadian horse racing industry.

More from the Winnipeg Free Press here.

We'd like to thank the Manito Ahbee Festival and everyone who came out to watch the first Indian Horse Relay Races ever held at Assiniboia Downs. Watching these talented riders race bareback in front of a huge crowd was a thrill! And the dancing and music was also a real treat. (Manito Ahbee Festival photos)

Do you have a memorable winning bet, a favourite horse, a big contest win, a meal/brunch shared with loved ones and friends, something special that endears you to the Downs? If so we’d love to hear from you! Send us your favourite memory of Assiniboia Downs and you might be selected for the new ASD Making Memories section of the Inside Track! If you have a photo to go with it, send that too! We welcome all submissions!

Do you have an interesting photo or memory you would like showcased in an upcoming newsletter? Email us at [email protected].

Early Voting captured the 147th Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course last Saturday, providing Klaravich Stables Inc. and trainer Chad Brown with a second win in the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown by following the same game plan they used with 2017 victor Cloud Computing. Full story and Preakness quotes from the Canadian Thoroughbred here.

The relative dates of the Triple Crown races have not changed since 1969. This could be defined as either an ongoing respect for tradition or the effects of stubborn inertia. In the end, there is ample evidence that the Triple Crown will never change. Until it does. More from Jay Hovdey at the Blood Horse here.