Assiniboia Downs changes schedule because of quarantine

Assiniboia Downs made a temporary change to its racing schedule for the remainder of the meet because of measures taken in response to a recent equine health concern.

Starting the week of July 15, racing will shift to a two-day Monday-Tuesday schedule until Aug. 12, after which the regular three-day Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday schedule will resume.

Following the identification and immediate containment of a single case of an equine virus, the barns at Assiniboia Downs have been placed under quarantine to prevent any further spread. While this quarantine allows horses to continue racing, it restricts any new horses from entering or leaving the barn area. This limitation will eventually strain the horse supply, prompting the decision to adjust the racing schedule to ensure that horses receive adequate rest between starts during this period and that the average field size remains at the highest level for wagering.

Darren Dunn, CEO of Assiniboia Downs, stated: “It is very unfortunate to have this happen, but we are very pleased it was addressed right away. We realize that it is still an ongoing issue with the quarantine, but we are confident that there will not be any further cases after the entire horse population was freshly tested and all returned with negative results, indicating no additional cases.

“A second and final test of all horses in late July will lift the quarantine should the results remain negative,” Dunn continued. “Regardless of how disruptive this is, the health and welfare of our equine athletes must come first. We appreciate the support and cooperation of our horse people and fans as we navigate through this.”

Despite the initial dip in average field sizes after the quarantine, Assiniboia Downs has seen a strong recovery and is committed to making further adjustments to relieve pressure on the horses and sustain healthy field sizes.

The track has experienced a 7.7 percent increase in wagering this year, with a 14 percent gain when excluding the quarantine’s first week.

The ASD jackpot Pick 5 is now at $279,062 and growing. The track is also offering a $50,000 guaranteed Pick 4 and recently introduced rolling doubles.

To maintain the integrity of the racing calendar, the dates removed from the current schedule will be added to the end of the season, with the final day of racing now set for September 24, ensuring a total of 50 race dates throughout the season.