by Track Historian Bob Gates Most local racing buffs already know that veteran horseman Gary Danelson is the current Downs All-Time Leading Trainer (ATLT). Coming into the 2024 season Gary had notched 1,250 wins here. It’s a challenge to tell the history behind the...
by Bob Gates Well, now that we have a couple of days of racing under our belt, let's celebrate with some M&M's. Nope, not the multi-coloured, button-shaped chocolates which are the flagship product of Mars, Incorporated. We're talking about milestones and memories...
by Bob Gates One of the many challenges facing Jack Hardy when he opened Assiniboia Downs in 1958 was to establish races that would grow into annual contests steeped in tradition. In the first year of operation the only signature race with "tradition" was the...
by Bob Gates What can I say? Those of you who know Clayton Gray will see the humour in the title of this week's blog story. Let's face it; you are more likely to see pigs fly than have a 15 minute conversation with the Dominion City native. Clayton's wife, Margaret...
by Bob When it comes to Derby memories, it gets no better than Merry's Jay win on August 2, 1976. And it couldn't have happened to a nicer couple. Hugh and Ruth Jackson were another one of those special husband/wife teams that called Assiniboia Downs home. Our...
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...
by Bob So what do an Egyptian God and a horse named Papyrus have to do with our Osiris Stakes? According to Egyptian mythology, “Osiris” is the name given to the god of the afterlife. It is also the name of a racehorse that was foaled in England in 1926....
First Manitoba-bred ever to win the Manitoba Derby by Bob In 1976 Merry’s Jay won the Harry Jeffrey Stakes. Eight days later he became the first Manitoba-bred ever to win our own Manitoba Derby. Only two other horses have won the Harry Jeffrey Stakes (which is...
by Bob What more can be said about two men – brothers who dominated the leading trainer standings at Assiniboia Downs from 1970 to 1980? Clayton Gray won seven training titles (1970, 72, 73, 74, 76, 79, 80) and older brother Don Gray won three titles (1975, 77, 78)....
by George Pierre Lapin and Dance the Dance recorded the highlight performances of the Labour Day Long Weekend at Assiniboia Downs and a few lucky fans scored big when the $2 Pick-4 on Monday paid $4,747.40. Happy Hour Stable’s Pierre Lapin won his fourth race from six...