Sophia’s Storm wins the 6th race on Wednesday for trainer Steve Keplin, Jr. Sven Balroop up. (Jason Halstead / Assiniboia Photo) By G.S. Thompson Trainer Steve Keplin, Jr. surged to the lead in the trainer standings Wednesday night with back-to-back wins, trainer Tom...
y Bob Gates Has there ever been a more iconic catchphrase in all of horse racing? Who remembers that it also doubled as the name of a weekly newspaper feature that ran in the United States and Canada from 1960 to 1972? These shortest of short stories were written by...
Longshot Just a Pose (inside) wins the fifth race at ASD on Wednesday evening for trainer Lise Pruitt, giving new jockey Mathew Bennett his first ever win at ASD and triggering a huge Pick 4 payoff. (Jason Halstead / Assiniboia Photo) By G.S. Thompson Two days of live...
Robert James Speers circa 1940 by Bob Gates, Track Historian Ever notice that time seems to move more quickly than it used to? The Kentucky Derby and Mothers’ Day are now firmly in the rearview mirror. This year’s race meet at Assiniboia Downs will mark several...
ASD 2024 Leading Rider Prayven Badre with his double stakes-winner Blazing Bo in trainer Mike Nault's barn. (George Williams) by G. S. Thompson Jockey Prayven Badrie is back to defend his 2024 riding title, and he's ready! But he’ll have quite a bit of competition for...
And they're off! (Jason Halstead) By Track Historian Bob Gates When opening night rolls around on Tuesday, May 13th it will have been 230 days since we said goodbye to “live” racing on September 24, 2024. Yes, it’s been about 7 ½-months since last year’s race meet...
Player's Choice Tournament winner David Smook. by G. S. Thompson David Smook captured his first Player's Choice Handicapping Tournament title at Assiniboia Downs last Saturday, building his bankroll to an impressive $125.00 to claim the trophy and $1,000 prize money....
Jockey Sachin Parris and trainer Andre Ellis with their longshot winner Orcadian Storm. (George Williams) by G. S. Thompson In the competitive world of horse racing, the partnership of jockey Sachin Parris and trainer Andre Ellis represents a compelling tale of...
By Track Historian Bob Gates On May 21, 2023, Canadian Hall of Fame jockey Irwin Driedger passed away following a long battle with cancer. Over the next four weeks, we will look back at some of Irwin’s 969 wins and remember the man who spent eight full seasons riding...
This is the last installment of our Ken Hendricks Snapshot in Time feature. In 2004, Hank piloted the favoured Deputy Country to victory in the 45th running of the R. J. Speers Stakes. It marked the last time Hank won the Speers—a race he captured a record-setting six...