by Bob Gates On the evening of Friday August 30, 1946, old Polo Park looked more like Satan's Hell than it did a racetrack. The scene was chaotic. Flames leveled "B" barn in less then 30 minutes at the westend oval. Bob "Boo Boo" Watt had only been training for a year...
From World War ll Concentration Camp to 1958 Leading Jockey Title at the Downs by Bob Gates As a young boy Hugo Dittfach spent three years in a Russian prison camp. His journey through life would see him find his way to Calgary, Alberta where he would find work at a...
by Bob Gates Everyone's talking about the Kentucky Derby and Mothers' Day is just around the corner. You know what that means! Live racing is set to return to Assiniboia Downs! After a seven-month hiatus the Downs launches its 2018 season of thoroughbred horse racing...
by Bob Gates with George Williams photos The Downs' historic 60th Season of thoroughbred racing winds up this Sunday, September 10 and what a year! I've been doing these blog stories for the past six seasons of live racing and after 100 plus stories from our...
by Bob Gates This week we look back at the unlikely beginnings of one of the most consistent and capable platers to ever run at Assiniboia Downs - brothers, Elery and Marlow Scherbenske's grey gelding, My Game. What attributes make a horse, great? Try as I might I...
by Bob Gates There is nothing sweeter than the memories evoked by one of God's majestic creations - the thoroughbred racehorse. Almost 50 years have passed since the talented bay filly, Ruling Lark ruled the roost at Assiniboia Downs. I have wanted to do the story of...
by Bob Gates When Sir Winston Churchill said that "there's something about the outside of a horse that's good for the inside of a man" it was like he knew Jimmy Anderson. James E. Anderson was the son of track veterinarian Dr. Norm and Mrs. Peggy Anderson. Jim and...
by Bob Gates Over the years the Downs has played host to all sorts of dignitaries, from professional athletes to royalty, but some of the most popular guests have been heroes from the Sport of Kings. There have been many, but none more special than racing legends...
by Bob Gates It's been 57 years since Jack Hardy resurrected our Manitoba Derby in 1960 and this year's Derby is the 69th running of what was once touted as the "Run for the Tartan." I've never been a math genius, but those figures just don't add up. The problem...
by Bob Gates In 2015 the Wheat City Stakes was renamed the Manitoba Mile and Friday, July 28 marks the 40th Anniversary of Stuart Polet's "Fud the Stud's" win in the Wheat City in 1977. What? You've never heard of Fud the Stud? Well, I'm just having a little fun, Fud...