[caption id="attachment_19331" align="alignright" width="1000"] Best of Two wins the Buffalo Stakes for trainer Lawrence Anonychuk. July 28, 1976.[/caption] by Bob Gates Lawrence “Mr. Amazing” Anonychuk trained thoroughbred racehorses at Assiniboia Downs for more than 30 years. If we were to restrict ourselves to a discussion of that part of his life, we wouldn’t do his…
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A Starter’s Nightmare
[caption id="attachment_19184" align="alignright" width="1000"] Buster Jeffrey at the ASD gate, circa 1970.[/caption] by Bob Gates The place? Old Polo Park Racetrack, right here in River City. The date? Thursday, June 16, 1955. The occasion? One of the strangest days in the history of local horse racing. They had finished four of the seven races that…
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Dean Kutz: Two-Time Downs Leading Rider Defied the Odds!
[caption id="attachment_19066" align="alignright" width="1000"] Dean Kutz. Assiniboia Downs Leading Rider 1977-1978.[/caption] by Bob Gates Like a lot of others, jockey Dean W. Kutz got his start at country fairs and riding in the bushes. However, unlike other saddlesmiths, Kutz battled the odds just to get his shot at sitting atop thousand-pound thoroughbreds. Dean was born…
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The Ragens: Born Into Racing
[caption id="attachment_18900" align="alignright" width="1227"] Ed Ragen and Super Twenty.[/caption] by Bob Gates The Ragens were a multi-generational horse racing family with its roots in Ireland. Edward Michael Ragen was one of the original grand old men of racing. “Eddie” spent more than 70 years racing thoroughbreds, until an injury from a 1981 fall forced him…
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Secretariat’s Triple Crown: A Half Century Later
[caption id="attachment_18789" align="alignright" width="1000"] Secretariat. 1973 Triple Crown winner.[/caption] by Bob Gates As the opening passage starts, “In the beginning…” One of the greatest horses in the history of horse racing made his first start on July 4, 1972. In time he would become America’s horse, so how fitting is it that Secretariat would go…
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Memories of Hall of Famer Irwin Driedger
[caption id="attachment_18620" align="alignright" width="1000"] Irwin in the winner's circle at Assiniboia Downs with Astral Moon in 1979.[/caption] by Bob Gates One of the many rewards of writing the history blog is meeting a lot of good people from the sport we all love. Getting to know Irwin Driedger easily sits near the top of that…
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Footprints, Hoofprints & Milestones at ASD
[caption id="attachment_18366" align="alignright" width="1000"] Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. 1970 Manitoba Centennial-Derby.[/caption] by Bob Gates Can you believe that come opening day, Monday May 22, 235 days will have passed since our four-legged athletes were called to the post here at the Downs last September 28. So, who’s ready for some live racing! If your…
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From His Bench in the Shadow of the Grandstand, the Old Man says Au Revoir to Live Racing for 2022
[caption id="attachment_17390" align="alignright" width="1000"] The "Old Man" says goodbye to season #65 at ASD. And remembers 1962.[/caption] by Bob Gates With only three days of "Live" left in 2022 Season, the 65th at ASD, we caught up with the portly old man who can usually be seen sitting on one of the benches closest to…
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“Doc” Elder reflects on the Captain, the Colonel, a Close Encounter and more…
[caption id="attachment_17317" align="alignright" width="2560"] Dr. Norm Elder (right) and Edward Plunket "E.P." Taylor. 1977 Manitoba Derby.[/caption] by Bob Gates Most of us know Dr. Norm Elder as the one-time owner of Elder's Equine Clinic, or for that matter some might think he still owns the clinic. In addition, he's recognized as a member of the…
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Bob Crockett, Owner, Breeder of Thoroughbreds. A 50-Year Adventure.
[caption id="attachment_17090" align="alignright" width="1000"] Dawn Marches On wins the 1982 Debutante Stakes for Hazelridge Holdings and Bob Crockett, second from left of horse.[/caption] by Bob Gates Quiet and unassuming, that's Robert "call-me-Bob" Crockett. And this friends, makes his story challenging to tell. For the purposes of this history blog that means there's less information…
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