Assiniboia Picks & Predictions — September 8, 2026

Buckdens Spirit (No. 9) trails C J's Mayzee by less than a full rating point at 57.5 and goes off at 5/2 — meaning the morning line makers see a very similar race between these two. Trainer Steven Gaskin puts Damario Bynoe aboard, a capable rider who can settle a maiden and find daylight in the stretch. In an all-maiden field over 5½ furlongs, both of the top-rated runners landing on the board together is a realistic outcome.

Deputize (No. 4) holds the third-best TrackWiz rating at 51.67 and draws in at 6/1, offering some value as the third wheel in an exotic ticket. Trainer Michael Nault enters two runners today (Deputize and Beer Budget), which signals confidence in his barn's readiness. No average speed figure is available for Deputize, but his 6/1 morning line makes him a cost-effective inclusion in trifectas beneath the two top picks.

Rockets Red Flair (No. 3) matches Piccata Prince with a 54 average speed figure and holds a 84.55 TrackWiz rating — this horse is not far behind at all. A 22% career win rate is the strongest in the field among the contenders, suggesting trainer Victoria Morse has found a live spot here. At 4/1, Rockets Red Flair is the horse most likely to make life difficult for the favorite and land on the board.

Fleet of Hoof (No. 4) completes the top-three cluster with a 77.44 rating and the same 54 average speed figure as the top two selections. At 3/1, the morning line respects him, and trainer Dale Zawislak sends Christopher Roy Mamdeen — who is riding a full card today — to the saddle. If the race devolves into a pace battle between the top two, Fleet of Hoof could come rallying for a piece at a solid price.

Acquire (No. 7) rates fourth in the field at 73.85 but draws in at 4/1, making him arguably the best value play in a race where the morning line seems to underestimate his underlying numbers. His 20% career win rate is among the stronger marks in this allowance field, and trainer Jason Homer puts Shavon Townsend aboard. With a one-mile trip favoring horses who can settle and sustain, Acquire's profile fits the distance nicely.

Charlie's Prize (No. 5) rates third in the field at 71.18 and draws in at 3/1, so the public is already on him — but there's a reason for it. A 14% career win rate and an average speed of 52 slot him right in the mix of this allowance field, and trainer Charlene Miller places him well. Antonio Whitehall is a solid rider who can position a horse patient over a mile, making Charlie's Prize a legitimate show contender worth including in your exotics.

Little Tribune (No. 5) sits second in the field ratings at 82.71 — that's a genuinely close race on paper — and draws in at 6/1, which looks like underlay territory given his underlying numbers. Trainer Robert Maybin sends Roger Hewitt to ride, a pairing with local knowledge of the Assiniboia layout. A 10% career win rate won't set the world on fire, but the place position at 6/1 is a compelling value angle.

Call Darla (No. 4) rates third in this field at 71.77 and goes off at a tidy 3/1, making her a solid anchor for the show position in your trifecta. Trainer Perry Cavanaugh — who also saddles today's Race 6 win pick — puts Renaldo Cumberbatch in the irons, and that's a barn-jockey combo that tends to get the most out of their runners. A 52 average speed and 11% career win rate suggest a consistent if unspectacular profile, which is all you need to justify the show.

Mysterious Tale (No. 4) rates second at 80.62 and posts the standout speed figure of the race at 57 — that's a full two points clear of Flipping Fish and five points ahead of most of the field. Trainer Robert J. Haar books his own son Nathan for the mount, a barn-jockey dynamic that often means a horse is cranked and ready. At 7/1, the morning line makes Mysterious Tale one of the most intriguing value plays on the entire card — if that 57 speed figure translates, this is a legitimate winning threat as well.

Call the Cavalry (No. 7) rates third in the field at 71.59 and posts a solid 54 average speed figure that puts him in the mix of faster horses in this sprint. Trainer Craig Robert Smith sends Rachaad Knights to ride, and with a 17% career win rate, this horse has shown he can compete. At 9/2, the show position in the trifecta makes Call the Cavalry a reasonable cost-effective inclusion beneath two high-ceiling selections.