Jockeying for position

Jockeys Antonio Whitehall and Sven Balroop are waging a great battle for the 2026 riding title at Assiniboia Downs, and both will be aboard some very good horses in next week’s five stakes races. Neither jockey will have a mount in the wiener dog races.

Whitehall rode the longshot of the week to victory in Tuesday’s sixth race, giving Not True a dream trip along the rail behind a duel for trainer Marion Johnston, slipping through on the turn and scoring at 31-1. The Manitoba-bred filly by Nonios paid $64.80, $19.10 and $7.40 across the board, and made her backers jump for joy.

“I saw what was developing up front and adjusted pretty quick,” said Whitehall. “That’s why I dove to the rail and just waited. All the stars aligned.”

Whitehall added another victory Wednesday in the fourth race with Regal Rumor for trainer Mike Nault, putting him one win ahead of Balroop.

His lead lasted about an hour. Balroop moved back into a tie with Whitehall with a win in the seventh race Wednesday aboard You Vee Cee for Steve Keplin, Jr., who is winning at a blistering 44 per cent clip.

The win easily kept Keplin in second place in the trainer standings behind five-time leading trainer Jerry Gourneau, who is headed for his sixth title. The trainer race isn’t close, but the jockey race is.

Balroop, 27, is originally from Trinidad, where he won Champion Apprentice honours before heading north. He came to Canada in 2022, riding at Century Mile, where he won 11 races before making his way to Winnipeg a year later with help from his cousin, former ASD jockey Stanley Chadee, Jr. Balroop rides mainly for Keplin and trainer Ryan Desjarlais, and acts as his own agent.

Whitehall, a three-time ASD champion, first arrived in Winnipeg in 2016 at the urging of his friend Chris Husbands, a fellow Barbadian. That first season the two battled all year for the title, with Whitehall finishing in the runner-up spot. His own titles followed, a tie in 2018 and outright wins in 2020 and 2023. His agent, Richard Hamel, is a five-time champion jockey at Hastings.

Both Whitehall and Balroop have 17 victories to lead the standings, followed by Dario Dalrymple (11 wins), Javaniel Patterson (10), Kerron Khelawan (9) and Rachaad Knights (9). It’s tough to make up ground as a jockey, especially when you’re more than five wins back. It’s even tougher to win consistently, but Whitehall and Balroop have managed it all year. They also happen to be friends.

“We hang out a lot,” said Whitehall. “And it’s good sportsmanship, you know. No hard feelings, win or lose. We both just want to be the best. Toe to toe.”

Balroop agrees, with one qualifier once the gate opens. “We’re friends outside the track, but when you’re on the track, you’ve got to put your best foot forward and give the horses their best possible chance to win.”

With the two locked at 17 wins apiece, he isn’t about to ease up. “You can’t get comfortable,” said Balroop. “Not when you’re in a tie with a guy like Whitehall.”

Balroop, married with three kids, says the best part of riding hasn’t changed since his days aboard his favourite horse, Mafia Man, back in Trinidad. “The best part is winning,” he said.

He’ll have a great shot at just that in the Derby Trial next week aboard the talented Prime Suspect for Keplin, and aboard Judo for the same trainer in the R. J. Speers. “I’m excited,” said Balroop.

The Derby Trial for 3-year-olds and the R. J. Speers for 3-year-olds and up go Monday, the Jack Hardy for 3-year-old fillies and the Canada Day for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, go Tuesday, and the Hazel Wright Sire Stakes for Manitoba-bred 3-year-old fillies is on Girls Night Out on Wednesday.

The wiener dog races take place Monday after the third race, with two heats of 10 dashing Dachshunds each, and the top four finishers in each heat advancing to the final. The fields, which include names like Honey, Stevie, Gerogie, Chaos, Tontee, Tofu, Ella, Winnie, Pickles and Oscar Mayer, will wear association colours.

If you’ve ever seen one of these races, you know why colours are required, and we’re still wondering how anyone even catches these dogs after each heat. Anything can happen in a wiener dog race.

We’ll take Oscar Mayer to win over Pickles and Tofu.

winnipegfreepress.com/georgewilliams