[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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Field of Dreams brought it all in 1977 Polo Park Handicap
[caption id="attachment_5775" align="alignright" width="780"] July 4, 2016 marks the 60th anniversary of the closing of Polo Park.[/caption] by Bob Gates Sunraysed, Taboga, Persian Memories, Victor's Pride, Merry's Jay, Federal Ruler, Icy Welcome and Island Fling. What links these former equine stars who called Assiniboia Downs home during the 1970s? Well, this is one of the many…
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When Hollywood came to Winnipeg to race, those were the days!
[caption id="attachment_5736" align="alignnone" width="780"] Well Caught wins for Don Carlos. June 29, 1951. Polo Park.[/caption] by Bob Gates [caption id="attachment_5734" align="alignright" width="218"] Anita King[/caption] Who knew? Once upon a long time ago Whittier Park and Polo Park race tracks were playgrounds for the rich and famous. Hollywood types from the early to mid-1900s made regular…
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The Legend of the Whittier Park Clocker
[caption id="attachment_5684" align="alignnone" width="780"] The Whittier Park Clocker (or his distant relative)[/caption] by Bob Gates At first glance you might think this is the story of some curmudgeonly, 60-something lifetime racetracker who was hanging on to the sport he loved and lived in the only way he could - timing the morning workouts of thoroughbreds…
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Memories of Vicki Warhol-Essman, thanks Social Media!
[caption id="attachment_5609" align="alignnone" width="780"] Vicki Warhol wins the Powder Puff Derby at ASD[/caption] by Bob Gates I'm not a huge fan of social media. I don't Tweet and couldn't tell you a thing about Instagram. I am on Facebook, and as a guilty pleasure you might catch me watching cute cat videos on YouTube, but…
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And the Oscar goes to…
by Bob Gates It's Oscar time folks and this week we recognize some of Assiniboia Downs' finest equine performances. Who in their right mind would even attempt to cross this minefield? Yours truly of course, and why not? I've never claimed to be of sound mind, or body for that matter. Even so, where do…
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Wondrous Wednesday – Oh What a Night!
[caption id="attachment_5494" align="alignleft" width="780"] Jim Sorenson on Simons Sword. His 3rd of 7 winners on June 23, 1976.[/caption] by Bob Gates Isn't it sweet when everything clicks and you can do no wrong? Well, Assiniboia Downs can boast of at least five jockeys who experienced a rare combination of skill, luck and whatever else…
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American Pharoah’s Halter, Mission (Almost) Impossible
[caption id="attachment_5463" align="alignleft" width="780"] The Stewart clan. L to R, daughter Audrey, Garylle, son-in-law Brian, granddaughter Alissa.[/caption] 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…
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