Assiniboia Downs Articles

It’s hard to imagine now, but at the start of the 2023 live thoroughbred racing season, Assiniboia Downs’ trainer’s champion Jerry Gourneau considered retirement.

Assiniboia Downs’ leading owner, Henry Witt Jr., has won his first Manitoba Derby.

When the bell goes on Monday night, the heavy favourite in the 75th running of the Manitoba Derby is a three-year-old, Kentucky-bred, bay colt named Heroic Move.

WINNIPEG — Antonio Whitehall last won the Assiniboia Downs jockey championship in 2020. This year, he’s making a concerted effort to win another.

Heavily-favoured Chicago’s Gray might have proven something to his trainer Murray Duncan on Monday night. The three-year-old gelding with two stakes wins in his stable this season, is probably a sprinter.

Chicago’s Gray will go to the post as the 7-5 morning line favourite on Monday Night in the 2023 Manitoba Derby Trial.

On Friday, Chicago’s Gray trainer Murray Duncan will nominate Manitoba’s best three-year-old for what should be the biggest, most significant Manitoba Derby since the first meeting back in 1930.

As we finish the month of June at Assiniboia Downs — six weeks into the season and just six weeks from the $125,000 Manitoba Derby — veteran champions Antonio Whitehall and Jerry Gourneau lead the jockey and trainer standings for 2023.

Marvin Buffalo from Day Star First Nation in Saskatchewan has been a thoroughbred racing trainer for 35 years.

WINNIPEG — Barry Arnason is off to another great start. An owner and breeder of fine thoroughbred racehorses here in Manitoba, Arnason reached a milestone this year.

Let it be noted that the winner of the first race on the first card of the first night of the 2023 Assiniboia Downs race meet was Market King, a seven-year-old Kentucky gelding whose grandfather is the legendary AP Indy.