By Scott Taylor
Assiniboia Downs will resume live racing beginning Monday, May 25. (ASD / HANDOUT)
On Monday night, Winnipeg’s own Assiniboia Downs becomes the first race track to return to operation in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, there will be no fans allowed on the grounds — heck, the horse owners can’t even attend the races — so in order to get the most out of this year’s 50-day meet, thoroughbred enthusiasts, should head straight to their laptops or devices and download hpibet.com.
The service also allows you to wager on other open tracks such as Gulfstream, Churchill and Santa Anita.
“With giant betting pools expected because of diminished competition from other tracks, Assiniboia Downs will make history Monday by being first out of the gate in Canada to offer live racing with no spectators on a unique Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday 7:30 p.m. schedule,” said ASD CEO Darren Dunn.
“Also unusual is the exciting stakes action offered on all three days, celebrating famous horses in ASD history. The Liz’s Pride Stakes, for example, will honour a two-year-old who, back in 1978, won all seven of her races and was honoured with a Sovereign Award as the top two-year-old in Canada.
“On Monday, the Go Go Lolo stakes will be a tribute to a mare who won seven stakes races, most of them by launching a heart-stopping rush in late stretch. And on Wednesday, the Iwoodificould Stakes will honour another stakes winner.”
Dunn said that our local track chose Monday to Wednesday night racing in order “to attract more wagering from horseplayers around the world who have fewer tracks to bet on at that time.”
“This should fatten the betting pools considerably, setting up large payoffs,” said Dunn. “The track, in fact, is guaranteeing a $10,000 Pick-4 pool, a bet in which players predict the winners of four races in a row.”
Creating an online account through hpibet.com will get you all the horse information required to place solid wagers. However, if you want more, you can have ASD programs delivered to your door. The track is offering free delivery on Sunday of the programs for the opening three days of live racing by calling (204) 885-3330 ext. 225.
When you get your account, you can enter the online handicapping tournaments that will be held in June, July, August and September. The top prize is a trip for two to Las Vegas to participate in next spring’s Horse Player World Series (or $2,500 in cash). Tournament details are available here.
The first post on Monday night is 7:30 p.m.
