[caption id="attachment_13154" align="alignleft" width="1000"] Readying for Opening Day 2021 at ASD. George Williams photo.[/caption] by Bob Gates The 2021 season gets underway on Monday, May 24. This will be the second year of the pandemic "No Fans in the Stands" season of racing. Sure, it's not what everyone wants, but it beats the blazes out…
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Assiniboia Downs Kicks Off Season #63 of Live Racing
Milestones & Memories Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at the 1970 Manitoba Centennial Derby by Bob Gates Welcome to the new "normal" as the Downs makes the final preparations to open for its inaugural "No Fans In The Stands" 2020 race meet. We have all lived the events of this spring and heaven knows they…
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Happy 50th Barbara Jo!
[caption id="attachment_9936" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] 50 years ago today. Barbara Jo Rubin becomes first female jockey to ride, and the first female to win, at Assiniboia Downs.[/caption] by Bob Gates On May 16, 1969, 19-year-old, Barbara Jo Rubin became the first female jockey to win a race at Assiniboia Downs. It's hard to believe, but a…
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62nd Season at Assiniboia Downs in the starting gate! Milestones and Memories.
[caption id="attachment_9884" align="alignright" width="1024"] Eye Catching wins 89th running of Winnipeg Futurity in 2018 for trainer Ardell Sayler. Chavion Chow up. Historical 90th running in 2019![/caption] by Bob Gates The crazy Kentucky Derby is in the books for another year, so you know live racing at Assiniboia Downs can't be far off. Season #62 at…
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Assiniboia Downs celebrates Diamond Jubilee as dark, mysterious stranger lurks
by Bob Gates Have you seen him? His slicked-back black-as-night hair high atop the 60-year-old Assiniboia Downs grandstand. For the last couple of months his signature morning screams have echoed throughout the grounds as the Downs prepares to kick off Season 60. For those who aren't sure who or what I'm talking about, I'm…
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Season 60 is approaching fast at ASD! Special promotions here!
Here comes a big milestone at Assiniboia Downs: Season 60 of live racing! Which means the Downs will pull out all stops to make it special. One of those things will be a 60-second Betting Spree every live race day -- which will be lots of fun. But first things first! The 50-day season begins…
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Philip Kives, Master of K5 Stables – A Tribute
[caption id="attachment_5380" align="alignright" width="390"] Phil Kives with Island Fling in 1978.[/caption] by Bob Gates Much has been written about the president and founder of K-tel International since his unexpected death on April 27, 2016. Today we leave the world of the Miracle Brush, Veg-O-Matic, Teflon Fry Pan, Patty Stacker and records like "Hooked on Classics"…
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Husbands wins 4 on opening night 2016 at ASD, Wagering doubles
[caption id="attachment_5341" align="alignleft" width="790"] Out of Mischief powers home to win the first race of the 2016 season at ASD, the Don Gray Memorial, for trainer Gary Danelson. Richard Mairs up.[/caption] Jockey Chris Husbands won four of the eight races on Mothers' Day opening night 2016 at Assiniboia Downs; trainer Tom Gardipy Jr. scored a…
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A Tale of Two Wolves for 2016 Opening Day at ASD
[caption id="attachment_5124" align="aligncenter" width="780"] One of three winners for Bernie "Longshot" Howland on Opening Day 1971.[/caption] by Bob Gates The 2016 live racing season kicks off on Mother's Day, Sunday, May 8, as has become our custom at Assiniboia Downs, and have I got a story for you. It goes like this: An old Cherokee…
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American Pharoah halter heads list of eBay items to be auctioned off in support of Alyssa Selman
Bidding has now started! The next round of fundraising for paralyzed jockey Alyssa Selman has started with an auction of historic racing memorabilia on eBay. A full description of each package is available on the eBay site and also below. All of the items listed on eBay include FREE shipping to Canada & the U.S.…
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