[caption id="attachment_11973" align="aligncenter" width="1080"] Island Fling wins 1979 Labatt's Gold Cup at Assiniboia Downs.[/caption] by Bob Gates More than 40 years ago, the late Philip Kives built his K5 racing empire on the back of Island Fling. Phil couldn't recall how he met up with Don Gray, but Gray was the man he approached about…
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Balooga Bull becomes first horse in history to win three consecutive Gold Cups at Assiniboia Downs
[caption id="attachment_4035" align="alignright" width="270"] Balooga Bull powers away to win $50,000 Gold Cup Saturday night. Paul Nolan up.[/caption] by George Balooga Bull became the first horse in the history of Assiniboia Downs to win three straight Gold Cups on Saturday night and he did it the hard way, forcing a suicidal pace before powering away…
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The man they call “Hank”
[caption id="attachment_3992" align="alignright" width="270"] Merry's Jay wins Manitoba Derby. August 2, 1976. Ken Hendricks up for trainer Clayton Gray.[/caption] by Bob No one has ridden more winners at Assiniboia Downs than the man they call "Hank". Ken Hendricks sits atop the Downs' leader board with 1,666 trips to the Winner's Circle. A quick scan of…
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George Howell, son of a blacksmith, spent two decades training for the “House”
[caption id="attachment_3867" align="alignright" width="270"] George Victor Howell[/caption] by Bob "He was a real gentleman." That's how people who knew the man that trained horses and ran Jack Hardy's JY Farm in St. Adolphe for the better part of 20 years, described George Victor Howell. The Howell family hailed from Saskatchewan, but made their home in…
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Pool to Market and Bobby Stewart, magic in the 1967 Gold Cup
[caption id="attachment_3814" align="alignright" width="270"] Pool to Market digs in to win the 1967 Gold Cup at Assiniboia Downs.[/caption] by Bob On August 5, 1967 the stars above Assiniboia Downs aligned perfectly for rider Robert Roy "Bobby" Stewart and his chestnut charge Pool to Market, and the pair put on a fabulous show for the 5,000-plus…
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Larry Carter’s Elite Mercedes and Monsoon Rain were rare Downs’ Triple Crown winners
[caption id="attachment_3624" align="alignright" width="270"] Elite Mercedes wins Gold Cup. September 24, 2006.[/caption] by Bob The success that owner Larry Carter enjoyed with Elite Mercedes was unprecedented, but two short years later he further established himself as a dominant and influential force in the Downs' stakes schedule with Monsoon "The Machine" Rain. While the Downs has…
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Balooga Bull wins second consecutive Assiniboia Downs Gold Cup, silences critics
[caption id="attachment_2931" align="alignright" width="270" caption="Balooga Bull roars home to win 2013 Assiniboia Downs Gold Cup."][/caption] by George Paul Brandt’s Balooga Bull silenced all naysayers with his second consecutive victory in the $50,000 Assiniboia Downs Gold Cup on Saturday night, becoming only the sixth horse in 56 years to win the prestigious race in back-to-back…
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Divine Wisdom wins J. W. Sifton, Balooga Bull takes on Manitoba Derby winner in $50,000 Gold Cup Saturday
[caption id="attachment_2909" align="alignright" width="270" caption="Divine Wisdom takes the lead in 2013 J.W. Sifton Stakes."][/caption] by George Off 2 Win Stable’s Divine Wisdom probably had to work a little harder than he would have liked to win the $50,000 J.W. Sifton Stakes on Friday night, but he was up to the task when it counted.…
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Uene, Solid Gold in 88
[caption id="attachment_2896" align="alignright" width="270" caption="Uene wins Assiniboia Downs Gold Cup, Sept. 4, 1988."][/caption] by Bob Uene was one of those special horses that left his hoofprints on the heart of Assiniboia Downs even though he only raced at our local oval for two short seasons. How does something like that happen? First of all,…
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Balooga Bull highlights Championship Weekend at ASD
[caption id="attachment_1623" align="alignright" width="270" caption=""You go this way an I'll go that way and I'll meet you at the finish." Crazy things can happen on Championship Weekend!"][/caption] by Rob The second last weekend of live racing will highlight four of the final five stakes races of the year. These four races will determine divisional honors…
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