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

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

DUBAI WORLD CUP CASH BACK - 3% cash back on Dubai World Cup racing on Saturday, March 26. Minimum wagered $100. Maximum deposit $25. Wagers must be placed on HPI account to qualify. ($2.10 payoffs not included). Note: The Dubai World Cup races start at 6:45 a.m. local time and will all be available on HPIBet.com. Assiniboia Downs will open at 9:45 a.m.

EASTER BRUNCH: Sunday, April 17 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.

MOTHER'S DAY BRUNCH: Sunday, May 8 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.

ASD's signature Prime Rib buffet is returning for live race nights starting Monday, May 23. Call 204-885-3330. Adults, $47.95, Seniors (65+), $44.95, 12 & under, $27.95, 5 & under, $14.95. See the buffet highlights at ASDowns.com. Reservations are required. Call 204-885-3330. Click here for full race schedule.

Trevor Tilston-Jones has never been shy about voicing his insightful handicapping opinions at the “I Won Bigg” betting group meetings, and he backed up those opinions last Saturday with his second victory in the Player’s Choice Handicapping Tournament.

The 70-something retired manufacturer’s agent built his $60 bankroll to $138.70 to take home $1,000, bragging rights and the trophy. He also moved himself to the top of the leaderboard in the Handicapper of the Year standings with 112 points.

Tilston-Jones scored early in the contest with Backwoods Boogie (8-1) in the fifth race at Gulfstream Park and Azure Sky (9-1) in the sixth at Tampa Bay. He bolstered his early winnings with Shake Em Loose (5-1) in the tenth at Laurel Park and brought it all home with Liberal (8-1) in the ninth race at Santa Anita.

Liberal’s win was a last-to-first thriller and turned out to be just enough to hold off second-place finisher Earl Grantham ($130.80 bankroll, $400 winnings), who was followed by Kevin Arnst ($100.00, $250), Jeff Rozmus ($91.30, $100) and Greg Earl ($90.60, $50.00).

Tilston-Jones has a number of angles he uses to smoke out winners, but video and trainer intent are two of his favourites.

“I watch the replays,” said Tilston-Jones. “That’s my main angle. I make a plan based on what I see in the video replays. And you can mark the horses you see in previous weeks on HPIBet.com, so when they come back to run you can give them an extra look. And if I see something that bothers me about a horse in the past performances or the replays, it’s a no.”

Tilston-Jones also looks for trainer intent, and likes to play races on the turf, which is where he found his final winner of the day at Santa Anita. He also makes a list of horses the night before and looks for horses at odds of 4-1 or better.

“You have to make a plan,” he said. “And you have to make all your bets count. But you also need a lot of luck. As you go through the years you learn what to look for. And you have to figure why a jockey is riding this horse today instead of that one. Richard Migliore had it right when he said these top jockeys don’t tie themselves to an empty wagon. And when a jockey shows up on a certain horse, you have to look at trainer intent.”

Tilston-Jones learned how to handicap from his father and started going to the track at Polo Park and Assiniboia Downs in the late 1950s. Interestingly, one of the days he remembers most was the one he missed -- opening day at Assiniboia Downs on June 10, 1958. There would be many more days with Dad at the track however, and ample fond memories. Like September 4, 1982, when he was part of a group of six who won a Pick 6 at Assiniboia Downs that paid $62,000.

Tilston-Jones fits the mold of all top handicappers, including many of the locals who play in the tournaments. Almost all of them learned the game from their fathers and built up their handicapping knowledge over decades. That level of experience means anyone can win the Player’s Choice Tournament on any given day, but when you do win, you have the satisfaction of knowing you beat some of the best players in the game.

“It’s tough,” said Tilston-Jones. “But I like it that way.”

The highlight of this weekend for handicappers will be the $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1), which features budding superstar Life Is Good and fan favourite Hot Rod Charlie against nine additional classy rivals.

The Dubai World Cup card will feature 32 group/graded winners over nine races including the $1 million UAE Derby (G2). The UAE Derby includes 100 Kentucky Derby qualifying points for the winner and is expected to be headed by Del Mar Futurity (G1) and recent Saudi Derby (G3) winner Pinehurst, as well as Argentinian star Irwin, who won two group one races last year. Get the rundown on the UAE Derby field from HorseRacing.net here.

The Dubai World Cup races start at 6:45 a.m. local time and will all be available on HPIBet.com. Assiniboia Downs will open at 9:45 a.m. There will be a 3% Cash Back bonus on the Dubai races when wagered on HPIbet.com.

See the Louisiana Derby Cheat Sheet from America’s Best Racing here.

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Likely post-time favourite Life Is Good drew the inside post for Saturday's $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1) at Meydan Racecourse, where he'll face 10 rivals including recent Al Maktoum Challenge (G2) winner Hot Rod Charlie, and the second and third place-finishers from the Saudi Cup (G1), Country Grammar and Midnight Bourbon. Life Is Good is class speed, but he'll be stretching out to 1 1/4-miles for the first time, which should make this one of the best races of the year. All have been training well according to the Paulick Report and the Blood Horse. More from Marcus Hersh at the DRF here.

She Makes a Point certainly made one in her career debut at Tampa Bay Downs for trainer and co-owner Catherine Day Phillips. The 4-year-old daughter of Point of Entry scored at 27-1! And former local trainer Marty Drexler won two more races at Gulfstream Park to bring his total southern scores for the year to nine. More from Jennifer Morrison at the Canadian Thoroughbred here.