Assiniboia Downs leading riders

“Winningest” Jockeys of Assiniboia Downs

“Winningest” Jockeys of Assiniboia Downs

by Track Historian Bob Gates Let’s go for a walk and retrace the steps of jockeys that the newspaper scribes once called the “winningest” riders in the history of Assiniboia Downs. “Winningest” is an awkward term and not one you hear much anymore.  So let’s go with...

Larry’s the name, hunting, fishing and riding are my games

Larry’s the name, hunting, fishing and riding are my games

by Bob Gates What's the wackiest injury that resulted in a jockey cancelling his mounts for the day? There aren't any records on the subject, but I think I've got a good one. On June 24, 1981 Larry Bird booked-off his mounts because he had sliced his finger while...

Brian Bochinski lived his dream at the track, every day

Brian Bochinski lived his dream at the track, every day

by Bob Brian Todd Bochinski's riding career started long before his first mount at Assiniboia Downs in 1986. In a way it had been a work in progress for years. It was always his life-long dream to be a jockey and win races, lots of them. His father, Bill, owned...

Dynamic duo dominated rider standings at Downs for 10 years

  Bobby Stewart and Dick Armstrong had different styles, but got similar results. They won. by Bob From 1962 to 1972, two jockeys dominated the leading rider standings at Assiniboia Downs. In that 11-year period George Richard “Dickie” Armstrong and Robert Roy...