by Bob Gates The Manitoba Centennial Derby celebrates its golden anniversary (1970-2020) this year. Go figure. It doesn’t seem like it, but 50 years have passed since the historic Centennial Derby was run at Assiniboia Downs as "The Queen of all Britons" and her...
by Bob Gates Father Time has been cruel to the memory of Alfred Gilbert "Alf" Tarn. Who? That’s the point of this week's time tunnel flashback. There was a time when it was inconceivable that the name Alf Tarn would fade into obscurity. Sad, but true. Who among us...
by Bob Gates In the early 1950s Eddie Dean wrote a song that he said was inspired by a dream. Dean recorded "Hillbilly Heaven" in 1954 but it never really caught on. In 1961 Tex Ritter, father of the late TV actor John Ritter, released his version, which became a huge...
by Bob Gates Following an 11-year absence (2009 -2019) the Downs 2020 stakes race calendar features the return of the Derby Trial. Jack Hardy resurrected the Manitoba Derby in 1960 and since that time 60 Derbies have been run at the Downs. During this same period, the...
by Bob Gates Horses come and horses go, but have you ever noticed that the ones we think of most fondly are almost always from another era. Pagan Star is one such horse. So, who was Pagan Star and why are we talking about him? It wasn't all that long ago that I...