[caption id="attachment_20453" align="alignright" width="1000"] 1975 Manitoba Derby. L to R: Yonnie Starr, Derby Belle and Jean-Louis Levesque.[/caption] by Bob Gates How do you pay tribute to the father/son duo of Jean-Louis and Pierre-Louis, who were important contributors to the history of Assiniboia Downs? It isn’t an easy task, but let’s give it a go.…
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The Manitoba Centennial Derby – July 15, 1970
[caption id="attachment_19466" align="alignright" width="1000"] 1970 Manitoba Derby. Program cover.[/caption] by Bob Gates Let’s take a short break from the usual fare you find on these pages and go with one of our photo blogs, shall we? This year’s 75th Running of the Manitoba Derby features $125,000 in purse money with an additional $100,000 bonus…
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Lumberjack Ron: Memories of Secretariat, Northern Dancer and Assiniboia Downs
[caption id="attachment_16872" align="alignright" width="1000"] Ron Turcotte wins the 1970 Manitoba Centennial Derby aboard Fanfreluche.[/caption] by Bob Gates Ron Turcotte was 14 when he left school to work as a lumberjack with his father. He saw his career go from cutting lumber in the bush to construction work and eventually he found his way to E.…
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The 1970 Manitoba Centennial Derby and “The Trib”: 2020 Milestones
[caption id="attachment_12309" align="aligncenter" width="1080"] Fanfreluche, the only filly, was a dilly[/caption] by Bob Gates The Manitoba Centennial Derby celebrates its golden anniversary (1970-2020) this year. Go figure. It doesn’t seem like it, but 50 years have passed since the historic Centennial Derby was run at Assiniboia Downs as "The Queen of all Britons" and her…
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