Trainer Mike Nault has been on a roll for the past three years, and it looks like he could be headed for another banner season in 2026. Nault has 20 horses at the track, among the 250 that are now on the grounds preparing for opening evening on Tuesday May 12, and seven of his horses are well-bred youngsters.

Two-time leading ASD rider and reigning champ Prayven Badrie was seen along with three-time leading rider Antonio Whitehall Thursday morning on the training track, as was top trainer Mike Nault, as the backstretch continued to swell with horses. Nault has 20 horses on the grounds, and his stable looks even better this year than it did last year.

The training track rail was packed on a warm and bright Thursday morning as every trainer on the grounds seemed to have their horses on the track at the same time. No one wanted to miss a chance of soaking up the much-awaited sunshine, and trainer Mike Nault was no exception. Nault had two Manitoba yearling-sale purchases out for exercise, one by Vengeful Wildcat and the other by Speculating.

Freshly claimed Saskatchewan-bred Delvecchio won the 7th running of the $40,000 Phil Kives Stakes on Monday, Manitoba-bred Melisandre wired her field in the 28th running of the $40,000 Distaff Stakes on Tuesday, and Hey Hey Run Away became the longest-price winner of the meeting in the seventh race on Tuesday, which helped one lucky bettor scoop the whole pool in the ASD Jackpot Pick 5 to the tune of $69,860!

Trainers Mike Nault and Devon Gittens won the first 2-year-old races of the meet on Tuesday, Jerry Gourneau opened a big lead in the trainer standings, and a new apprentice from B.C. made a notable appearance in another week of million-dollar-plus handles.

There are over 200 horses on the grounds already and we’re still 52 days away from opening day! Trainer Mike Nault had another big year in 2022 training for major owners True North Thoroughbreds and A2 Thoroughbreds and he’s hoping for more of the same this season with 25 horses that include seven well-bred youngsters along with stakes winners like Lady Cop and It’sthattime. The former won the Debutante and Osiris Stakes last year and the latter won the R.J. Speers and Elite Mercedes Stakes.