Blog
And the Oscar goes to…
by Bob Gates It's Oscar time folks and this week we recognize some of Assiniboia Downs' finest equine performances. Who in their right mind would even attempt to cross this minefield? Yours truly of course, and why not? I've never claimed to be of sound mind, or body...
Wondrous Wednesday – Oh What a Night!
by Bob Gates Isn't it sweet when everything clicks and you can do no wrong? Well, Assiniboia Downs can boast of at least five jockeys who experienced a rare combination of skill, luck and whatever else is required to achieve an evening of greatness. This week...
American Pharoah’s Halter, Mission (Almost) Impossible
by Bob Gates By now we all know the background story that resulted in the acquisition of the prized American Pharoah halter which in addition to other racing memorabilia, was sold at auction last August in aid of the Alyssa Selman Fund. What you probably don’t know is...
Philip Kives, Master of K5 Stables – A Tribute
by Bob Gates Much has been written about the president and founder of K-tel International since his unexpected death on April 27, 2016. Today we leave the world of the Miracle Brush, Veg-O-Matic, Teflon Fry Pan, Patty Stacker and records like "Hooked on Classics" and...
Husbands wins 4 on opening night 2016 at ASD, Wagering doubles
Jockey Chris Husbands won four of the eight races on Mothers' Day opening night 2016 at Assiniboia Downs; trainer Tom Gardipy Jr. scored a hat trick, and trainer Gary Danelson bookended the card with wins in the first (Don Gray Memorial) and eighth races in front of a...
A Tale of Two Wolves for 2016 Opening Day at ASD
by Bob Gates The 2016 live racing season kicks off on Mother's Day, Sunday, May 8, as has become our custom at Assiniboia Downs, and have I got a story for you. It goes like this: An old Cherokee told his grandson, "My son, there is a battle between two wolves inside...
For the Love of Racing, Those Were the Days…
by Bob With less than a handful of live racing dates left, the end of the 2015 season at Assiniboia Downs is almost upon us. It has been a challenging year, like others recently, but that seems to be the norm these days. And I have a confession! I love this sport and...
Spring, Sprints and a Spike, with record-setting speed
by Bob Those of us who go back to the early 1980s will know that "Spike" is none other than Northern Spike. He was owned and bred by the late Ivan Dowler in partnership with sons Graham, John and Dan - Graham and John have both passed as well. Spike was a handsome...
American Pharoah halter heads list of eBay items to be auctioned off in support of Alyssa Selman
Bidding has now started! The next round of fundraising for paralyzed jockey Alyssa Selman has started with an auction of historic racing memorabilia on eBay. A full description of each package is available on the eBay site and also below. All of the items listed on...
Robert James Speers Stakes – The Tradition Continues!
by Bob Sixty years ago this past July 19, Robert James Speers, the "Father of Thoroughbred Horse Racing on the Canadian Prairies" died as a result of a massive heart attack at his home in River Heights, right here in Winnipeg. Speers was only 72 when he was laid to...