Assiniboia Downs has announced a temporary change to its racing schedule 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 August 12. After this period, the regular three-day Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday schedule will resume.
This change follows the identification and immediate containment of a single case of an equine virus, which led to a quarantine of the barns at Assiniboia Downs to prevent further spread. The quarantine allows horses to continue racing but restricts any new horses from entering or leaving the barn area. This restriction is expected to eventually strain the horse supply, prompting the schedule adjustment to ensure adequate rest for horses between starts and maintain optimal field sizes 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 realise 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 will be conducted in late July, and if results remain negative, the quarantine will be lifted. Dunn emphasised the priority of equine health and welfare and expressed appreciation for the support and cooperation of horse people and fans.
Despite an initial dip in average field sizes due to the quarantine, Assiniboia Downs has seen a strong recovery. 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. Additionally, 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.