Assiniboia Downs puts it all on the line for Manitoba Derby Night tonight. Its $337,114 (US) jackpot pick 5 carryover has gone on mandatory payout status for Races 3-7, and includes the evening’s major stakes. The pick 5 has a 20-cent base bet. First post is 8:30 pm ET and the pick 5 begins around 9:25 pm ET.

Horseplayers at 1/ST BET and Xpressbet also can take part tonight in the $2,500 Exacta-Thon at Assiniboia Downs. Customers who hit exactas ($2 base minimum or higher) on five (5) different Assiniboia Downs races will earn an equal split of $2,500 in bonus cash.

Let’s get to work.

Race 3: claiming

Trainer Steve Keplin Jr. controls the top 2 morning line choices, #4 I Will Stand and #3 Discreet Invasion, putting clearly the stronger meet rider, Sven Balroop, on I Will Stand. The chalk has run over 10 tracks in his career, but never at Assiniboia, though he’s run well off similar layoffs in the past. Quality options can be found at prices worth adding. The best effort from #6 Double Time fits with these and he’s 25-1 morning line. #7 Prairie Drifter possesses dangerous early speed at 10-1, while #8 Magnolia Speed is 8-1 with plenty of back class as a local stakes winner.

Race 4: $50,000 Escape Clause Stakes

#1 Burrow Down stands out among the locals after a convincing win in the Canada Stakes over a similar trip as the odds-on chalk. He’s 10-for-13 in dominant fashion over this track. But the X-factor is Oaklawn and Lone Star winner #7 Baby Gundin, who lures top local pilot Prayven Badrie away from the Canada Stakes runner-up and to a Jerry Gourneau barn that he wins 33% when in tandem. There’s no knock on the favorite whatsoever, but the alternative intrigues enough for me to include as a payout enhancer. And if you’re going to have both heavy favorites in Races 4 and 6, you’re looking at a slim return in this sequence.

Race 5: $50,000 Manitoba Mile Stakes

#9 Malibu SS (5-1 morning line) comes off a razor-sharp win over 6 furlongs in his local debut for a Jerry Gourneau barn that has adeptly plucked horses from the American south and transferred them locally. #3 Judo is a deserving favorite riding a win streak since arriving at Assiniboia and that includes back-to-back stakes. Defending Manitoba Mile winner #4 Blazing Bo is 30-1 morning line and hasn’t been in the same kind of form this season, but a fast pace could wake up his closing kick in only his fourth start of 2025. #5 Fearless Solider was favored heavily last out in the Spears Memorial when blowing the start vs. Judo and worth a return chance at a more elevated price. Good options abound in this one.

Race 6: $125,00 Manitoba Derby

While the Robertino Diodoro-trained raider #7 Take Charge Tom didn’t win the 3-horse prep as easily as expected at 1-20 odds, the additional distance to 1-1/8 miles truly should separate his American class from the pack in the Manitoba Derby. Speedball #8 Just Trust Me pushed him to the brink at a mile, but it’s hard to envision another furlong in his future. Underneath consider #4 Attack or #2 Acknowledge, who would be the default two-way play in the event of a scratch of the highly logical favorite that I’ll otherwise single.

Race 7: allowance / optional claiming

The 6-5 morning line favorite #2 Sumitup has a speed figure edge on these but is hitting 50% in her last 6 starts when 3-1 or less, so there’s no firm commitment. Use her, but other good options abound here, led by #6 Bound for Heaven (6-1 morning line), who comes off a career-best effort and is a 3-year-old capable of sprucing up this group of familiar class-level foes. @7 Magic Chrome (5-1 morning line) didn’t negotiate the rail well at the start of her local debut July 22, but her Canterbury and NorCal form should fit here well and she’s in a more comfortable spot in the gate this time. Can’t see getting the 10-1 morning line on another Gourneau shipper from Lone Star, but #8 Bringonthebubbly would be no surprise for a barn that’s made this successful LS-Asd transfer often this season at a 7: 3-1-1 record.

Suggested Ticket

4,3,6,7,8 with 1,7 w/ 9,3,4,5 w/ 7 w/ 6,2,7,8 = $32 for a 20-cent play