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Yearly Archives: 2016

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

That’s a wrap! Season #59 at ASD draws to a close
[caption id="attachment_6304" align="alignright" width="780"] Mustard family celebrates a win on the latest date for the Downs ever to race on November 11, 1991.[/caption] 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…
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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 record crowd. In the…
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Fun-Loving, Dimpled, Good Guy, Mikey

[caption id="attachment_6111" align="alignright" width="780"] Early days at ASD. Mike aboard Folie A Deux for trainer Gary Danelson on a muddy May 23, 1981.[/caption]  by Bob Gates Mike Rowland rode at Assiniboia Downs from 1981 to 1984, chalking up 455 wins. While his time here was limited to four years, the young man from Saratoga Springs,…
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Hey Good Lookin’, Attractive or Handsome?

[caption id="attachment_6055" align="alignright" width="780"] Major Enterprise retires. Ken Hendricks up[/caption] by Bob Gates Another Manitoba Derby is in the books and congratulations go out to winner Inside Straight and his connections! What a fine looking beast he is! And that got me to thinking about "lookers" from days gone by. Talk about walking into a…
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Bimbo the Pony, Legend and Legacy

[caption id="attachment_6005" align="alignright" width="780"] Bimbo the Pony with Allan Gray.[/caption] by Bob Gates All of you who remember or who have ever heard of a horse named "Bimbo" please raise your hands. I don't see many arms in the air. That's not unexpected. Until I found an old obscure newspaper article from the now defunct…
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Super Hi 5 Fever at the Downs, Payoff Records & Lucky 777s

[caption id="attachment_5955" align="alignright" width="780"] Super Hi 5 heading towards a potential record payoff on Manitoba Derby Day.[/caption]   by Bob Gates Assiniboia Downs under quarantine? No! But these days Downs' patrons are suffering from Super Hi 5 fever as the carryover is now in excess of a quarter of a million dollars. That makes it…
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Astral Moon – Bill Grohn’s Saskatchewan speed demon

[caption id="attachment_5901" align="alignright" width="780"] Astral Moon with jockey Irwin Dreidger.[/caption] by Bob Gates Every once in while a mare comes along who distinguishes herself from all others. Multiple stakes winner Astral Moon was just such a mare, but her career was slow in getting started. Owned and trained by Bill Grohn of Weyburn Saskatchewan, Astral…
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Michael Magee – Colourful Canadian CBC Commentator from Caledon

[caption id="attachment_5829" align="alignleft" width="780"] L to R Jim and Hazel Wright, Bory Margolis and Michael Magee. 1979 Manitoba Derby.[/caption] by Bob Gates Remember Michael Magee? Michael was a man of many talents: actor, writer, narrator, producer, director, freelance broadcaster and CBC Sports' horse racing analyst/commentator from 1964 to 1986. Frankly, nobody did it better. I hadn't…
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