Yesterday’s the past, tomorrow’s the future, but today is a gift.
That’s why it’s called the present.
~ Unknown
By Bob Gates
Can you believe it, the middle of September has come and gone. The days are shorter, nights are cooler, and that means the 2024 live thoroughbred race meet is drawing to a close. The final two race dates go Monday the 23rd and Tuesday, September 24th.
Racing under the harvest moon
This season had it challenges, but what else is new and that’s the “new normal.” It seems that you can’t race horses without having to deal with challenge after challenge and 2024 was no exception. These days if you’re looking for fair weather and clear sailing as the backdrop for racing, you’re delusional.
The big bad wolf this season was the equine virus, which was responsible for some shorter-than-usual fields, a revised racing schedule, and the related proactive measures to ensure the health and welfare of our equine population. It sure seems that every single year something comes up. Recent years have seen the Downs deal with any manner of issues. At times, it felt like the racing gods threw everything at us but the proverbial kitchen sink.
If you think this year’s equine quarantine restriction was the only issue, I assure you it wasn’t, and yet the team at the Downs perseveres and puts on a race meet that makes us all proud.
This season marked the 15th year of my official relationship with Assiniboia Downs and featured one of my proudest moments. This season, when the jockey colony photo was taken by faithful track photog Jason Halstead, I was asked to join the men from the room, and it doesn’t get any better than that. Thank you, gentlemen, it was an honour!
Assiniboia Downs Jockey Colony 2024
Also pictured is the Sovereign award won by Jason. I usually miss giving proper photo credits for his pictures which frequently accompany my blog stories. Now all of Canada knows what we already knew. Jason takes outstanding photos. Thank you my friend!
2023 Sovereign Award for Outstanding Photograph – Jason Halstead
I was on a mission this past week with this being my final blog for this season of “Live.” The mission, of course, was to seek out the old man who prefers to view the races on a back row bench in the shade of the grandstand. He’s getting easier to track down. I know where he likes to sit, and I’ve noticed that he walks slower these days. Like an aging thoroughbred, he’s lost a couple of steps since last season. Long gone are his youthful looks and his memory isn’t what it once was. Don’t get me wrong, he knows his stuff, but his gift of recall takes a tad longer.
Darkness wraps its arms around the Downs
As usual he sits, alone in his thoughts, pondering the final few days of racing. I approach and ask, “Well sir, what have you got for us this year?”
“It was a good season. In case I haven’t said so before, the team out here at the Downs do a great job. Every year they look for new and better ways to promote racing. For example, this season the Monday “Family Fun Nights” resulted in huge crowds on the tarmac. It reminded me of the old days. The Night Markets and Festivals were hits. The Food Truck Battles were another homerun. Not to mention they tweaked the 50/50, which was yet another success.
The on-track product drew praises. You gotta love how Mechanic Susie is sitting at six for six on the year and Downs all-time leading trainer, Gary Danelson’s Kate’s Princess put on a five-race win streak before he lost her via the claim.”
“Will we see you back at the track next season?”
“Well, that’s not really up to me, is it? If the powers above grant me another trip around the sun, then sure I’ll be here with bells on.”
I thanked him for his time and moved on to my own bench, where my thoughts turned to a race meet from yesteryear. On November 2, 1981 the Downs concluded its longest ever season. It was the 134th day of racing and with the current length of our seasons running 50 days, I had a tough time remembering what the 1981 season was like. After all, that’s almost three seasons crammed into one.
Old Man Says Goodbye to Live Racing
Mike Smith was leading trainer and Irwin Driedger was the top jock. K4 Stable earned more money than any other owner. Total attendance for the year was 564,053, these days we no longer keep attendance figures. The total handle for 1981 was $53,394,913.
Yes, we are living in a new normal. A facility that’s open year-round and 50-day meets that go to post Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. There was a time when racing only on those days was unimaginable. It’s taken some getting used to, especially the no racing on the weekends. Yes, it’s a different time.
Like the people at Looney Tunes would say, “That’s all folks!” Starting next week the Inside Track newsletter will feature the “Best of Bob” where some of our older stories will be run again. You know, just to give you something to chew on until next season rolls around.
Speaking of the Inside Track, be sure to give it a good read, there’s always a ton of things going on at the Downs in the off-season. There’s something for everyone, VLTs, simulcast wagering, dining specials, trade fairs and before you know it, the ponies will be back in training for the 2025 season of thoroughbred horse racing.
Lastly, I wouldn’t be able to do what I do without help from a lot of people, but there are some individuals whose assistance I have come to rely on. In addition to Jason Halstead, my heartfelt thanks go out to George Williams, Shawn Hayden, and Dwayne Addison. I would also like to give a special shout out to Board Chair “Doc” Elder and Chief Executive Officer Darren Dunn for their unwavering support. Thank you gentlemen!
Above all, thanks to you, the faithful readers of the history blog. You are the greatest!
Heading back to the barn after the last race