Monthly Archives: August 2019

Sifton Memorial Celebrates 50th Running

[caption id="attachment_10715" align="alignright" width="1024"] Patricia Too wins John W Sifton Memorial Stakes. July 20, 1975.[/caption] by Bob Gates Where does the time go? June 10, 2019 marked the 50th anniversary of the death of John Wright Sifton. The upcoming running of the J. W. Sifton Memorial on September 7 honours Mr. Sifton’s memory and it will…
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Jockey Joan Phipps: Saskatoon Sweetheart and Downs Darling

[caption id="attachment_10656" align="alignright" width="1000"] Joan Phipps. First win at Assiniboia Downs. Thistle Dawn. July 7, 1972[/caption] by Bob Gates Life in Saskatoon grew to be a bore and at times even a nightmare for young Joan Phipps. School work couldn’t hold a candle to competing in the Saskatoon-Regina-Prince Albert light horse show circuit where she…
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“Wacing’s” Weird & Wacky

by Bob Gates Not even Looney Tunes with its wascally wabbit has anything on thoroughbred horse racing when it comes to the zany and unusual. From the annals of Winnipeg turf lore, few stories rival the wondrous happenings at Assiniboia Downs or at Jimmy Speers' old haunt, Polo Park racetrack. Polo Park was the scene…
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The Clare’s family horse operation was built on passion

[caption id="attachment_10563" align="alignright" width="1000"] Marge and Vic Clare with one of their many winners together, Cognitive Unit.[/caption] by Bob Gates Marge and Victor Clare ran one of those typical "Mom & Pop" stables.  Their story is a good one, except for the part that it took me seven years to get it done. Marge and…
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