Blog
Duke Campbell, one of the greatest horsemen to ever walk the prairies
by Bob Gates Donald H. "Duke" Campbell's bio on the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame website says that his chief claim to fame was that he discovered and developed Sandy Hawley into a world class jockey. Well he did that alright, but there was so much more to the...
Rupert “Chicago” Parker liked hats and a good cigar
by Bob Gates Some and perhaps most of you will consider this week's blog story choice a little obscure. Others will look at the title and wonder, Rupert who? Rupert Parker was a jockey who plied his trade at Assiniboia Downs from the mid 1960s to the mid to late...
15 Minutes with Clayton Gray, The Man from Dominion City
by Bob Gates What can I say? Those of you who know Clayton Gray will see the humour in the title of this week's blog story. Let's face it; you are more likely to see pigs fly than have a 15 minute conversation with the Dominion City native. Clayton's wife, Margaret...
Already Dia, Alberta invader with talent to burn
by Bob Gates You hear glowing accolades about certain thoroughbreds all the time around the race track. You know, the usual and arguably over-used descriptors like "the peoples' horse", "champion" and the like. I do it here in my blog stories all the time, but the...
Assiniboia Downs celebrates Diamond Jubilee as dark, mysterious stranger lurks
by Bob Gates Have you seen him? His slicked-back black-as-night hair high atop the 60-year-old Assiniboia Downs grandstand. For the last couple of months his signature morning screams have echoed throughout the grounds as the Downs prepares to kick off Season...
Season 60 is approaching fast at ASD! Special promotions here!
Here comes a big milestone at Assiniboia Downs: Season 60 of live racing! Which means the Downs will pull out all stops to make it special. One of those things will be a 60-second Betting Spree every live race day -- which will be lots of fun. But first things first!...
That’s a wrap! Season #59 at ASD draws to a close
by Bob Gates This week we put the finishing touches on Season #59 at Assiniboia Downs with a weekend featuring five stake races. The Winnipeg Futurity and Matron kick things off on Friday. Saturday night sees the Sifton and Gold Cup, and the season wraps up with the...
Good-bye Garylle Stewart. April 21, 1940 – August 1, 2016
by Bob Gates The August 1, 2016 Manitoba Derby will be one I never forget, and forever remember, as bittersweet. The inclement weather created a dream track if you were a mudder, but it was a less than ideal day for the Manitoba Jockey Club, which was hoping to draw a...
The Curious Case of Just Cost, Grand Little Gelding or Racing’s Bad Boy?
by Bob Gates To coin a phrase from Charles Dickens' Great Expectations, "Let's put the case." The case, that is, of Just Cost, a thoroughbred runner from the dirty thirties. Today you are not only readers; you are also the jurists in the case of The People vs...
Remembering Cosmic Tip and his 1966 R. J. Speers Memorial Handicap
by Bob Gates Who knew? This year's running of the R. J. Speers on August 17 marks the 50th anniversary of Gary Danelson and Cosmic Tip's win in the Speers in 1966. There may be a few veterans that recall the name Cosmic Tip, but even they probably aren't familiar...