Murray Duncan

Assiniboia Downs: Eight Decades and Counting

Assiniboia Downs: Eight Decades and Counting

by Bob Gates "And Now for Something Completely Different" was a catchphrase from the British television comedy series Monty Python's Flying Circus, and it just happens to be perfect for this week's blog. This isn't your typical history story, at least it's not what...

The Great Cull of ’62

The Great Cull of ’62

by Bob Gates "Cull - to remove an inferior animal from a herd." The definition sounds sad, doesn't it? However, following Assiniboia Downs' 1962 race meet that is exactly what took place at the 6 ½-furlong oval on the edge of Winnipeg’s Perimeter Highway. The goal of...

They knew how to win

They knew how to win

by Bob Gates Horses that know how to win are the most revered in the sport of horse racing. Every owner, trainer, jockey and groom wants one -- a horse that knows where the wire is and lays it down to get there when it counts, every time, with no regard for the odds...

Plentiful’s 2017 Manitoba Derby triumph provides storybook ending

Plentiful’s 2017 Manitoba Derby triumph provides storybook ending

by Bob Gates Imagine, a blog dedicated to all things historical, and this week we travel all the way back in time to last year's Derby. Murray Duncan and the Estate of Garylle Bruce Stewart's Plentiful won the 69th running of the Manitoba Derby in 2017, and that’s our...

That’s a wrap!  Season #59 at ASD draws to a close

That’s a wrap! Season #59 at ASD draws to a close

by Bob Gates This week we put the finishing touches on Season #59 at Assiniboia Downs with a weekend featuring five stake races. The Winnipeg Futurity and Matron kick things off on Friday. Saturday night sees the Sifton and Gold Cup, and the season wraps up with the...

Good-bye Garylle Stewart. April 21, 1940 – August 1, 2016

Good-bye Garylle Stewart. April 21, 1940 – August 1, 2016

by Bob Gates The August 1, 2016 Manitoba Derby will be one I never forget, and forever remember, as bittersweet. The inclement weather created a dream track if you were a mudder, but it was a less than ideal day for the Manitoba Jockey Club, which was hoping to draw a...

American Pharoah’s Halter, Mission (Almost) Impossible

American Pharoah’s Halter, Mission (Almost) Impossible

by Bob Gates By now we all know the background story that resulted in the acquisition of the prized American Pharoah halter which in addition to other racing memorabilia, was sold at auction last August in aid of the Alyssa Selman Fund. What you probably don’t know is...