Race Date: Monday, July 14, 2025
Post Time: 8:25 PM CT
Track: Assiniboia Downs, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Race Type: Stakes — $50,000 purse
Distance: 1 mile (Dirt)
Eligibility: 3-year-olds
Field Overview & Morning Line Odds
| Post | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Pedigree | Odds |
| 1 | Just Trust Me | Dewey Williams | Antonio Whitehall | Bodexpress × Trust Fund Kitty (Kitten’s Joy) | 8-1 |
| 2 | Dominant Spirit | Jerry Gourneau | Prayven Badrie | Mohaymen × Town Belle (Speightstown) | 4-1 |
| 3 | Take Charge Tom | Robertino Diodoro | Rasheed Hughes | Tom’s d’Etat × Gorgeous Ginny (Take Charge Indy) | 2-5 |
| 4 | Acknowledge | Wendy Anderson | Damario Bynoe | Authentic × Call to Service (To Honor and Serve) | 10-1 |
| 5 | Medicine Dog | Jerry Gourneau | Dane Dawkins | Constitution × Royal Charlotte (Cairo Prince) | 15-1 |
| 6 | War Is Hell | Jason Homer | Ciera Pruitt | Om × This Means War (War Chant) | 30-1 |
Pedigree & Performance Insights
Take Charge Tom — The Heavy Favorite
Sire: Tom’s d’Etat — Grade 1 winner known for late-running power.
Dam: Gorgeous Ginny by Take Charge Indy — adds speed and class.
Form: 4 wins in 6 starts, $383K earnings, 67% win rate.
Trainer: Robertino Diodoro — elite conditioner with national stakes success.
Dominant Spirit — Tactical Contender
Sire: Mohaymen — son of Tapit, known for stamina and versatility.
Dam: Town Belle by Speightstown — sprinting influence.
Form: 3 wins in 9 starts, 78% in-the-money rate.
Trainer: Jerry Gourneau — top local trainer with multiple entries.
Just Trust Me — Local Star
Sire: Bodexpress — son of Bodemeister, adds speed and grit.
Dam: Trust Fund Kitty by Kitten’s Joy — turf and stamina influence.
Form: 5 wins in 15 starts, 73% in-the-money.
Jockey: Antonio Whitehall — three-time ASD riding champ.
Medicine Dog — Sneaky Upset Potential
Sire: Constitution — sire of 2024 Belmont winner Sierra Leone.
Dam: Royal Charlotte by Cairo Prince — stakes-winning dam line.
Form: 3 wins in 7 starts, recent victory at ASD.
Acknowledge — Underrated Pedigree
Sire: Authentic — 2020 Kentucky Derby winner.
Dam: Call to Service by To Honor and Serve — stamina-rich lineage.
Form: 1 win in 8 starts, improving form.
War Is Hell — Longshot with Local Form
Sire: Om — turf sprinter with War Chant bloodline.
Form: 1 win in 12 starts, recent maiden breaker.
Trainer: Jason Homer — local conditioner with improving barn.
Jockey & Trainer Highlights
Antonio Whitehall (Just Trust Me): Leading rider at ASD, known for aggressive pace tactics.
Rasheed Hughes (Take Charge Tom): Stakes-seasoned pilot with national experience.
Prayven Badrie (Dominant Spirit): Strong finishing rider with multiple wins this meet.
Dewey Williams (Just Trust Me): New arrival with a perfect stakes record at ASD.
Robertino Diodoro (Take Charge Tom): One of North America’s top trainers, shipping in for the win.
Top Contenders:
Take Charge Tom Derby Trial Stakes favorite
Dominant Spirit Mohaymen gelding Assiniboia Downs
Just Trust Me Bodexpress colt Finger Lakes
Value Plays:
Medicine Dog Constitution pedigree
Acknowledge Authentic gelding longshot
War Is Hell Om gelding upset pick
The 2025 Derby Trial Stakes is a pivotal prep for the Manitoba Derby, showcasing a mix of national talent and local grit. Take Charge Tom enters as the clear favorite, but Dominant Spirit and Just Trust Me bring strong form and pedigree. With elite trainers and jockeys converging on Assiniboia Downs, this one-mile showdown promises fireworks from gate to wire.
