Blog
Judge George W. Schilling: His Word was the Law on the Canadian Prairies for Three Decades
by Bob Gates George Schilling was a senior racing official in Mexico, the United States and Canada and among the most respected figures in the sport. Schilling had a keen mind, was scrupulously honest and stern but fair. He was born on January 17, 1886 in San...
The Greatest Race That Never Was
by Bob Gates For as long as most of us can remember, the first Saturday in May is reserved for the Kentucky Derby, but not this year. The "Run for the Roses" was rescheduled to the fall because of COVID-19. You just knew NBC wasn't going to let an opportunity like...
That was Then. This is Now.
by Bob Gates There are times when the past begs to be remembered. To hear her story, you must listen carefully, because sometimes it comes to you in unusual ways. The most recent case of nostalgia-like-symptoms came courtesy of the Winnipeg Free Press. This year on...
Assiniboia Downs Survives Foreclosure, Press Box Inferno & Global Pandemic
A cancelled date with Princess Anne. by Bob Gates Like a Timex watch, the Downs takes a licking and keeps on ticking. The most recent peril began with the following announcement on March 18, 2020: "With the intent to be proactive and to do our part to pull...
Assiniboia Downs Kicks Off Season #63 of Live Racing
Milestones & Memories Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at the 1970 Manitoba Centennial Derby by Bob Gates Welcome to the new "normal" as the Downs makes the final preparations to open for its inaugural "No Fans In The Stands" 2020 race meet. We have all lived the...
Secretariat to race on Saturday — virtually speaking
Secretariat winning the 1973 Kentucky Derby. Photo courtesy of KentuckyDerby.com While most sports are quiet these days, there are major happenings in the horse racing world while it also observes coronavirus safety protocols. In what may be a first at any racetrack,...
Historic Winnipeg Futurity highlights final weekend of “Live” racing at ASD
by Bob Gates This year's Winnipeg Futurity marks the 90th running of the prestigious race for 2-year-olds, which makes it the oldest continuously run race in western Canada. Yeah, I know, you'll hear a lot about the recent Canadian Derby's 90th running, but those...
Sifton Memorial Celebrates 50th Running
by Bob Gates Where does the time go? June 10, 2019 marked the 50th anniversary of the death of John Wright Sifton. The upcoming running of the J. W. Sifton Memorial on September 7 honours Mr. Sifton’s memory and it will be the 50th time that 3-year-old Manitoba breds...
Jockey Joan Phipps: Saskatoon Sweetheart and Downs Darling
by Bob Gates Life in Saskatoon grew to be a bore and at times even a nightmare for young Joan Phipps. School work couldn’t hold a candle to competing in the Saskatoon-Regina-Prince Albert light horse show circuit where she rode jumpers and barrel raced. Horses became...
“Wacing’s” Weird & Wacky
by Bob Gates Not even Looney Tunes with its wascally wabbit has anything on thoroughbred horse racing when it comes to the zany and unusual. From the annals of Winnipeg turf lore, few stories rival the wondrous happenings at Assiniboia Downs or at Jimmy Speers' old...