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Assiniboia Downs (ASD) announced temporary racing schedule changes for the remainder of the season following necessary measures due to an equine health issue.
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Starting July 15, racing at Assiniboia Downs will transition to a two-day schedule, running every Monday and Tuesday, until August 12. The regular three-day schedule (Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday) will resume thereafter.
The decision comes in the wake of a singular case of an equine virus, promptly identified and contained within the Downs’ barns. As a precautionary measure, the affected barns are under quarantine, allowing currently housed horses to continue racing while preventing the entry or exit of new horses. This restriction aims to mitigate potential spread and safeguard the health of all equine athletes.
“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. 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.”
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Darren Dunn, CEO of Assiniboia Downs, expressed regret over the disruption but emphasized the importance of prioritizing horse welfare. He went on to say that while the situation is unfortunate, The Downs acted swiftly to address it. The quarantine is in place and initial results were negative for all horses tested. Testing will be done again in late July at which time the quarantine’s status will be reviewed.
The track has reported a 7.7% increase in overall wagering this season, excluding the initial week impacted by the quarantine, and continues to offer popular betting opportunities such as the ASD Jackpot Pick 5, currently valued at $279,062, and a $50,000 guaranteed Pick 4.
To accommodate the revised schedule, the postponed race dates will be rescheduled to the end of the season, with the racing calendar concluding on Sept. 24.
For more details on the updated racing schedule visit ASDowns.com.
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