by Bob If it is possible to single out a date that marked the "birth" of Assiniboia Downs, Wednesday September 25, 1957 would be that day. On that historic Wednesday Jack Hardy, President of James Enterprises Ltd. announced the appointment of Alexander Gardner...
by Bob This week's image in our historical rear view mirror belongs to Bobby Q and veteran horseman Jack Robertson from Amaranth, Manitoba. Bobby Q first popped up on the radar screen with his performance in the 10th running of the Minnesota Derby in 1983. Sent...
by Bob This past Sunday I woke up early, very early, and poured myself a coffee. I retreated to our deck to enjoy the morning sunrise. The only other living creatures awake at that time were a few chirping song birds. The air was still and all was calm as I fell into...
by George Jockey Dane Nelson won four races including the Hazel Wright Sire Stakes on Saturday night, overshadowing a hat trick by former leading rider Rohan Singh, and trainer Jim Compton lost both horses he ran in claiming races. They both won. Nelson started...
by George Apprentice Rasheed Hughes was denied his first winner after a DQ, jockey Dane Nelson was hurt when a horse broke through the gate in the third race, the $2 Pick-4 paid $1,964.90, and a single bettor went home $61,664.19 richer after selecting the only...
by Bob The month of June has special significance for me. Four of the most important women in my life celebrate birthdays in the month of "leaves and roses," my wife, Kathy, our daughter, Deena, the cat, Kopy Kat and the "other" woman in my life. Yes, you heard it...
by Bob It's been almost 40 years since 22-year-old Jimmy Sorenson lit up the tote board under a star-lit sky at Assiniboia Downs. Patrons in attendance on the evening of Wednesday, June 23, 1976 will not soon forget the riding exhibition put on by the young man from...
by Bob It's been more than 75 years since Ray Stewart scored his first win as a jockey on the old western prairie circuit. I recently had an opportunity to sit down with the 93-year-old Stewart and reminisce about his horse racing past at his home in Brandon where he...
by Bob Ashton Kucher's 2000 comedy film was set in the '60s when he "lost" his car in the Downs' parking lot? Uhm… No! But, in the early days of Assiniboia Downs there were always large crowds and that meant cars, hundreds of cars, and a parking lot that was busting...
by Bob If you haven't already noticed, Assiniboia Downs has gone to great lengths to make available to its patrons a historical display that commemorates more than a century of horse racing in Winnipeg. The display's name "Racing Through Time." Located just inside the...