Blog
New jockey, new horse, win debuts at Downs, Ladies saddle longshots
by George New jockey Jalon Samuel won with his first mount ever here, trainers Lorna Gray and Sherri Laing owned the longshots of the night, and a new 3-year-old filly named Aware definitely made us that with a powerful stretch drive in the finale on a sunny Wednesday...
June 6, 1976 – The day the mighty Thor ravaged the Downs
by Bob In the world of Norse mythology, Thor is recognized as the God of Thunder, but he is also closely associated with lightning and storms. On Sunday, June 6, 1976 Assiniboia Downs was the victim of his wrath! The day started off like any other, with me and my...
Betting on Breeding Part 1: Manitoba Stallions
by Rob To kick off the 2014 blog series for myself, I thought it would be great to discuss one of those topics in racing that is much talked about yet foreign to many people: the actual breeding of a race horse and how it affects the parimutuel wagering side of...
Jet Again impresses again on Saturday night, Deanna says YES!
by George Top 3-year-old Jet Again came storming home to win his second in a row, trainer Shelley Brown won her first race of the season, and the $2 Pick-4 paid $412.70 on a rainy Saturday night at the Downs. Jet Again, a 3-year-old chestnut gelding by Going...
Balooga Bull wins 2014 debut impressively, Pick-4 pool swells to over 23k
by George Reigning Champion Older Horse Balooga Bull made his 2014 debut a winning one, jockey Paul Nolan and trainer Ardell Sayler each scored a hat trick, and the Pick-4 pool swelled to over $23,000 with the help of a carryover on beautiful Friday night at the...
Remembering Turn to Rule, the little blazed-faced chestnut, that could
by Bob Turn to Rule's Jockey Club registration papers described his distinctive blaze as "a large irregular star and connected stripe," but what really differentiated the multiple stakes winner from so many of his rivals at Assiniboia Downs were his size and his...
Pick-4 carryover of $3,580 tonight! Preakness simulcast a must watch.
Desert Lightning and Paul Nolan came rolling home in the stretch to win the sixth race on Friday night to ensure a Pick-4 carryover of $3,580 into Saturday's live racing card, and there were also a few first-time winners on the season. The Pick-4 pool could easily...
Robert Joseph Franklin, the quiet man from Iowa
by Bob Bob Franklin was only 72 when he was called to heaven's backstretch on May 1, 1990, but he crammed a lot of living into his time on this earth. Much of it at Assiniboia Downs. Bob was a simple, quiet, black man from Clarinda, Iowa who knew all about racial...
Sayler puts on show as fans pack Downs for Mother’s Day weekend
Trainer Ardell Sayler put on quite a show, the weather co-operated beautifully, and the fans packed the house for Mother's Day live racing weekend at the Downs. It was clear that people thoroughly enjoyed getting out of the house after one of the longest, coldest...
Max Freed Plays “Let’s Make a Deal” with Monty Hall
by Bob Before telling you about this Manitoba racing icon's deal with TV game show host Monty Hall, let me give you some background on one of the greatest and well-known local horseman, Max Freed. Max was born to David and Tilley Freed on February 22, 1912 in...