Bricklayer, Gourneau big winners at Manitoba Derby

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This article was published 06/08/2024 (584 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Owner/trainer Larry Gourneau, Jr. won the 76th running of the $125,000 Manitoba Derby with Bricklayer on Monday night in front of a fabulous crowd whose enthusiasm flowed freely into the betting windows to the tune of $3,743,784, the highest Derby night handle in Assiniboia Downs history.

For the 65-year-old Gourneau, whose father Larry Gourneau, Sr. trained horses here 40 years ago, it was like coming home.

Bricklayer was sent off as the co-third choice in the wagering at 6-1 in the Manitoba Derby under leading Canterbury Park jockey Luis Fuentes and immediately dropped back to last in the field of nine, but it was all part of the plan. Fuentes saw a pace battle developing up front and bided his time to the final turn before smoothly advancing through the final turn and swinging wide for the drive. He then turned on the jets to take over nearing the sixteenth pole and drew out to win by 3 ½-lengths over local hopeful McEwen, getting the 1 1/8-miles in 1:56.55.

McEwen, trained by Shelley Brown for All For One Stables, Bette Holtman, and Oslen Belle, surged gamely between horses in the final stages to take second, a head in front of fellow local entrant Lt. Norm. It was a further length back to Alberta shipper Itsallgoodman in fourth. Notably, McEwen got off to a slow start in the race and somehow found his way into contention under jockey Renaldo Cumberbatch, rallying late to take the place. Favourite Awesome Road never really got untracked and finished sixth.

Bricklayer was sent off as an overlay and paid $14.90, $6.50, $5.00 across the board for his happy backers, and helped trigger an excellent payoff on the 20-cent Jackpot Pick 5, which had a huge carryover of $444,576 that swelled to over 2.4 million at post time for the fourth race, the first leg of the Jackpot Pick 5. A winning 20-cent Jackpot Pick 5 ticket paid $974.90, with winners from Race 4 on that included Poderoso Equs ($21.50), Spitten Kitten ($3.80), Blazing Bo ($9.70), Bricklayer ($14.90) and Slew’s Bak ($9.00).

The payoff was good, but it might have been at wheelbarrow levels had jockey Renaldo Cumberbatch and Spitten Kitten not held off 61-1 longshot Jj’s American Diva in the fifth race to win the $50,000 Escape Clause Stakes by mere inches. That photo had punters biting their nails.

Trained by Marvin Buffalo for himself, his wife Deb, and partner Arnold Souster, Spitten Kitten gave the crowd an adrenaline shot before the sixth race, the $50,000 Harvey Warner Manitoba Mile, which was won by Blazing Bo under leading rider Prayven Badrie. Trained by Mike Nault for A2 Thoroughbreds, Blazing Bo defeated last year’s Harvey Warner winner Big Nick with an impressive rally that had the fans cheering their way into the Manitoba Derby. They also bet $189,155 into the Pick 4 pool, which has become one of the best wagers in the world to play at Assiniboia Downs.

“What a fantastic night!” exclaimed ASD CEO Darren Dunn. “The ambiance of the huge crowd creates such an energy in the grandstand. It is wonderful to the see the crowd so engaged and the monster wagering pools for the event. We are so thankful for all of the support from fans, horsepeople and the ASD team.”

Gourneau, who is from the Turtle Mountain Reserve in Belcourt North Dakota, personally hauled Bricklayer from Minnesota to Manitoba on Saturday, and thanked trainer Matt Williams, who prepared the horse at Canterbury for the Manitoba Derby, and also Manny Medeiros and Glen Miller, who helped him with the horse when he got to Assiniboia Downs. Gourneau had no immediate plans for Bricklayer, other than going back to the barn to spend some time with him after the Derby. And he was always thinking about family.

“My grandson Julian called me and said, ‘We’re watching your race grandpa.’ and wished me good luck,” said an emotional Gourneau after his Derby victory. “He means so much to me. The kids mean so much to me.”

“I wish my Mom and Dad were here,” said Gourneau at the post-Derby celebration. “They loved this place. They didn’t have the horses and they didn’t have the money to buy the horses. So for me to come back here and win this race, it is all dedicated to them, Larry Gourneau, Sr. and Jeanette Gourneau.

“They would have loved this.”