Monthly Archives: July 2016

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…
Read more

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…
Read more

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…
Read more

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…
Read more