Assiniboia Downs

Five Days in May
https://asdowns.com/five-days-in-may/

From May 27 to May 31 there were three Celebrations of Life for members of what ASD historian Bob Gates likes to call our horse racing family. In those “Five Days in May” we said goodbye to Jack Robertson, Ingrid Lee, and Rick Ball. Click the link above for the history guy’s tribute to Jack, Ingrid, and Rick.

First Stakes of 2026 Feature Two Big Upsets, Line Dancing a Hit on First Western Wednesday https://asdowns.com/first-stakes-of-2026-feature-two-big-upsets-line-dancing-a-hit-on-first-western-wednesday/

The first stakes races of the 2026 season at ASD got underway this week, Jerry Gourneau opened up a huge lead in the trainer standings, and the first Western Wednesday of June was a hit with the line-dancing bull-riding crowd.

Gourneau won eight of the 21 races carded this week, including the $50,000 Beau Blade Stakes on Tuesday with longshot Bergheim ($34.80) and jockey Renaldo Cumberbatch, for leading owner Henry S. Witt, Jr., and that wasn't the only upset in the stakes.

A fresh claim won the Lil Missknowitall Stakes at 26-1.

(Jason Halstead / Assiniboia Photo)

Here’s what the connections of the 2026 Belmont Stakes runners had to say after a unique renewal.

More: https://paulickreport.com/news/triple-crown/explanations-and-excuses-jockeys-trainers-talk-2026-belmont-stakes