1975 – It was a Very Good Year Part II – July 11 to September 2

L’Enjoleur on the cover of the 1976 Stakes Book highlighting stats from 1975.

By Track Historian Bob Gates

Let’s see, where were we? Oh yeah, 1975, the year of leisure suits, PEZ candy and heaven forbid, Disco. Events of the time included:

• Movies: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Jaws;
• Saturday Night Live premiers on NBC with its first host, George Carlin;
• The Vietnam War formally ends.

In the world of horse racing the 1970s saw three Triple Crown champions: Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977) and Affirmed (1978), but the 1975 races had three different horses lay claim to the Kentucky Derby (Foolish Pleasure), Preakness Stakes (Master Derby) and Belmont Stakes (Avatar).

Meanwhile back at home L’Enjoleur won the 1975 Queen’s Plate and Prince of Wales Stakes, but could only manage a third-place finish to Momigi in the Breeders’ Stakes in the third and final leg of the Canadian Triple Crown.

Let’s finish our review of the 1975 season out at Assiniboia Downs. Once again, its time to fasten those seatbelts as we remember the balance of the season – July 11 to September 2:

July 11 – Day 36: This was the day something wonderful and rare happened in a $1,500 claiming race. A personal favourite hit the winner’s circle in the sixth race quinella. Anna Stables Mr. Bizbee won for Anna and Louis Selyem with son, Joseph aboard for the ride. Mr. Bizbee was an eight-year-old brown gelding who could go long or short and gave it “his all” every time out. The 1975 season was his best at the Downs. Bizbee won three and finished second four times in his ten starts. So what made this win so wonderful? Let’s just go with “nailed it!” Me and my buddy “Big Al” went home very happy campers on this Friday night in July.  

Jim Wright was all smiles when the handle reached $306,628, the largest of the meet.

July 12 – Day 37: Kenny “Hank” Hendricks celebrated a milestone. For the first time in his career Hank rode five winners on the eight race card. It was also a Downs record, as it marked the first time a rider had won the first five races. We lost Hank this past February and a memorial race was run this past Tuesday, August 19th with many friends and family members present. R.I.P. Hank!

July 17: The Winnipeg Free Press’ Elman Guttormson reported that the Downs had purchased nine well-bred horses, costing $55,800 at Hollywood Park and they would all be made available for anyone to purchase. Jim Wright said that he was looking to upgrade the quality of horses at Assiniboia Downs, as well encouraging new horse ownership.   

July 26 – Day 45: The Saturday night card was an evening to remember. Federal Ruler, aka “Fud the Stud” scored his fifth victory in seven starts since he was purchased in January for $4,500 by owners Stuart Polet and trainer Brian Palaniuk.

Veteran rider Bobby Stewart rode his 700th winner at the Downs aboard Harry Gumprich’s Dark Hall. Bob’s victory came 15 years after his first win at the Downs aboard the snow-white gelding, Royal Ghost, who was owned by his father Glen.

And before the night was over, longshots Glorious Spy (25 to 1) and Short Capasin (40 to 1) combined for a record $844 quinella. As the song goes, “Oh What a Night” it was for the 21 lucky ticket holders with the winning, 8 & 10 combination.

August 4 – Day 51: The 27th running of the Manitoba Derby belonged to L’Enjoleur and gave Jean-Louis Levesque his second Derby victory. L’Enjoleur, the son of Buckpasser, won the race that his mom, Fanfreluche, had won in 1970 in front of Queen Elizabeth. 7,829 fans wagered a record $411,199 on Derby Day bettering the mutuel mark of $365,746 that had been set on the final day of racing in 1974.

For the first time the annual HBPA Derby Breakfast was held on the lawn at Assiniboia Downs.

August 10 – Day 55: Trainer Tom Marks greeted his Scottish Time in the winner’s circle following the 18th running of the Gold Cup.

August 15 – Day 57: Jim and Hazel Wright miss their very first day of racing since talking ownership of the Downs. They were in Provo, Utah to attend daughter Lorraine’s graduation at Brigham Young University where she earned her PhD in Psychiatry.

Ken Hendricks became the “winningest” jockey in the history of the Downs in a season, winning two races to bring his win total to 93 for the year, bettering Bobby Stewart’s 91 victories from 1970.

September 3 – Day 70: The Selyem’s Mr. Bizbee closed out the meet with his third victory of the year and it was a record-setting effort. In the 67-year history of the Downs, no horse had ever won the first race on opening day more than once. And no horse had ever won the first race on opening day and the final race of a meet, but now there was one horse who won the final race of the meet on two occasions – well done Mr. Bizbee! He won the final race of the 1973 meet and the last race of 1975.

It was the longest and most successful meet to date in the history of our fair city. Wagering totalled $18,428,527, a 50% increase over 1974’s 56 days of racing. Ken Hendricks finished atop of the leading rider board with a record 111 victories. Don Gray led all trainers with 41 wins. The most successful horses on the grounds were:

Two-year-old: Sunraysed – four wins from five starts.

Three-year-old: Taboga – five wins, four seconds from 10 starts

Four-year-old and up: Macale – five wins, three seconds and two thirds from 11 starts and Federal Ruler – five wins, one second, two thirds from eight starts.

With an honourable mention going to plater Mister Marston – five wins, two seconds, and a third from 15 starts.

While we lost Ruffian in 1975, there was a horse that gave us plenty to cheer about. His name was Forego.

In 1975 Forego scored six wins, a second and a third from nine starts. He won the Woodward Stakes, and the Brooklyn, Widener, Carter, Seminole and Suburban Handicaps often being asked to carry an impost of 132 or 134 pounds. In 1976 he won the Marlboro Cup carrying 137 pounds.

Forego was one of those who got better as he aged. All told he was named Champion Older Horse four times (1974, 75, 76 and 77) and Horse of the Year three times (1974, 75 and 76). The mighty Forego passed in 1997, he was 27.

Who Knew? In 1973 Forego finished fourth behind Secretariat in the Kentucky Derby. Talk about getting lost in the shuffle. He never started in either of the two other Triple Crown races that year.

And there you have it, 1975 in a nutshell. Jim Wright left us wanting for more come season’s end. It was a great time for racing in the Peg once again. When all was said and done, fun had returned to Assiniboia Downs and more importantly we were all chomping at the bit and…

The 1976 season couldn’t get here fast enough!