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Winnipeg, Canada – May 11, 2023 - Assiniboia Downs is gearing up for an exciting 2023 Live Racing season starting on May 22nd with lots of new and fun-filled activities for the whole family.
The festivities will kick off with the annual press conference officially kicking off the racing season on Friday May 19. Then the Annual CTHS/HBPA Awards Banquet is on Saturday, May 20th, where the best of 2022 will be honoured.
Opening day’s festivities will start on Monday May 22 showcasing Indian Horse Relay Races starting at noon, adding to the excitement of the opening day. These events are full of action and demonstrate incredible horse-riding skills.
Live thoroughbred racing that night begins with free Family Fun activities from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., featuring bouncy castles, face painting, kid's entertainment, balloon twisters, and glitter tattoos.
"We're excited to bring another thrilling season of live racing to our fans and community," said Darren Dunn, CEO of Assiniboia Downs. "We're committed to making this season better than ever by offering free Family Fun activities on opening night and all Mondays beginning in July and running through to Labour Day evening. We invite everyone to come and enjoy the exciting races and all the fun-filled activities the Downs has to offer."
The track will be introducing the Gmax Hybrid Timing system this year as well. This technology tracks the horses in real time throughout the race and shows an easy-to-follow graphical representation at the bottom of the live video. The information collected through this system will also provide a whole new level of statistical data for horseplayers and horse people around the globe.
The Downs is proud to host the $550,000 Western Canadian Triple Crown, bringing together the best horses and jockeys from across the region. The $125,000 Manitoba Derby will be the first leg of that program followed by the $200,000 G3 Canadian Derby at Century Mile and the $125,000 G3 BC Derby at Hastings Racecourse.
Leading jockey Jorge Carreno and trainer Jerry Gourneau will return to The Downs to defend their titles against a list of highly competitive contenders looking to claim the coveted crown for themselves.
The Player Portal is available to all fans where they can access all the information they need in one place, including live video, programs, jockey/trainer stats, bios, and more. The portal can be found at asdowns.com/player-portal.
Racing will begin on May 22nd and continue on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays at 7:30 pm throughout the season. Tune in at 6:45 p.m. each race night for ASD Live featuring the return of popular handicapping hosts Kirt Contois and “Stretch”. For more information visit ASDowns.com.
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