[caption id="attachment_3570" align="alignright" width="270"] Eileen Blake, winner of the first Powder Puff Derby at ASD in 1960.[/caption] by Bob I'm guessing the name "Powder Puff" was created by a male of our species. Certainly there aren't many women these days that would come up with such a sexist sounding name for a horse race featuring…
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The Gang of Seven
[caption id="attachment_3450" align="alignright" width="270"] Albert Edward Blake. One of the best trainers ever at Assiniboia Downs.[/caption] by Bob If you scan the list of the Downs' all-time leading trainers you'll find that seven of the top 20 never won a single-season training title. How is it that the best of the best were unable to…
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Bull bounces back; local owners get 1st & 2nd in Matron
By Ivan Bigg for George (on holidays) The Bull is back to his old winning self. [caption id="attachment_2811" align="alignright" width="470" caption="Balooga Bull is back!"][/caption] Balooga Bull, Horse of the Year at 2- and 3-years-old, showed on Friday that his talent is still intact at 4 despite an uncharacteristic fourth-place finish in his previous race, the…
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Remembering Admiration, the Runner from Down Under
[caption id="attachment_2787" align="alignright" width="270" caption="Admiration"][/caption] by Bob Today we remember an Aussie lass whose looks were nothing special, but could she run! Admiration was a bay mare owned by K5 Stables. Actually at that time it was still the K4 Stables that ran at the Downs from 1980 to 1983. K-Tel founder Phil Kives…
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Hello earns performance of the night on rainy Friday at ASD
[caption id="attachment_2270" align="alignright" width="270" caption="Hello Winner's Circle!"][/caption] Mare purchased south of the border continues to improve for Gray by George The performance of the night on Friday at ASD came courtesy of Hello in the sixth race, and two Superfectas paid more than $2,000. Hello, a 5-year-old chestnut mare trained by Lorna Gray for…
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The Gray Boys dominated the ASD trainer standings from 1970-80
[caption id="attachment_1562" align="alignright" width="270" caption="Don and Clayton Gray with Attractive Miss. Bobby Stewart up. July 24, 1962."][/caption] by Bob What more can be said about two men – brothers who dominated the leading trainer standings at Assiniboia Downs from 1970 to 1980? Clayton Gray won seven training titles (1970, 72, 73, 74, 76, 79, 80)…
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