Tyrone Nelson, seen here in the 2011 Manitoba Derby post parade, recalls the night he rode four winners. (Stewart Family) By Track Historian Bob Gates Recently, we gathered to take the annual jockey colony photo. As we dispersed to go our separate ways, Tyrone Nelson...
The Winnipeg Free Press Trophy (Jason Halstead / Assiniboia Photo) By Track Historian Bob Gates On Tuesday, June 23, 2026, the Free Press Stakes celebrated its 66th running and our congratulations go out to the winning connections. The history of the race dates back...
Assiniboia Downs History Case (Jason Halstead / Assiniboia Photo) By Track Historian Bob Gates The “Racing Through Time” display in the front lobby has a fresh look to it for the 2026 racing season. Have you noticed? You know the area we’re talking about, just inside...
Jockey Ciera Pruitt (outside) gets up just in time to win the 6th race on Wednesday for her mom, trainer Lise Pruitt, aboard longshot Bromeo. (Jason Halstead / Assiniboia Photo) Apprentice jockey Ciera Pruitt won her first two races of the meeting, former Hastings...
Jack Robertson Celebration of Life, May 27, 2026 (Robertson Family) By Track Historian Bob Gates Some of you might recognize our title as a 1993 song by Blue Rodeo. Songwriter Jim Cuddy used the lyrics to describe the “familiar, timeless feeling of a deep connection...
Danelson's Omaha Warrior is HBPA's Top 2-Year-Old Colt/Gelding for 2025 (Jason Halstead / Assiniboia Photo) By Track Historian Bob Gates You might wonder why a three-year-old gelding with four career starts somehow rates a historical blog story, and that’s a fair...
Some of the K5 awards on display at the K-Tel head office trophy case 2013 (Bob Gates photo) By Track Historian Bob Gates It’s hard to believe that K5’s Philip Kives has been gone for ten years. The memory of April 27, 2016, remains strong. In the late afternoon,...
Dick Armstrong, September 28, 1940 – November 16, 2009 (Gerry Hart photo) By Track Historian Bob Gates Five, four, three, two, one, and they’re off! On May 12, 2026, Assiniboia Downs launched season #69 and once again my universe was back in sync. It was a cool spring...
Original Manitoba Derby Trophy 1884 - 1934 (Speers Family) By Track Historian Bob Gates “Life isn’t a matter of milestones, but of moments.”- Rose Kennedy The 2026 season is now underway and isn’t it grand to have the ponies back in town. For more than 100 years,...
Throughout his life after racing, Seattle Slew was tended to by his attentive groom Tom Wade. (Barbara D. Livingston) By G.S. Thompson Looking back over my 50-year career in horse racing from water-bucket carrier to groom to trainer to writer, I’ve met some pretty...