by Bob Gates "And Now for Something Completely Different" was a catchphrase from the British television comedy series Monty Python's Flying Circus, and it just happens to be perfect for this week's blog. This isn't your typical history story, at least it's not what you've grown accustomed to. What we have this week is an…
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Horses made jockey Jimmy Anderson whole
[caption id="attachment_7623" align="alignnone" width="780"] Jimmy Anderson wins the River Park Handicap aboard Island Fling. Sept. 4, 1978.[/caption] by Bob Gates When Sir Winston Churchill said that "there's something about the outside of a horse that's good for the inside of a man" it was like he knew Jimmy Anderson. James E. Anderson was the son…
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15 Minutes with Clayton Gray, The Man from Dominion City
[caption id="attachment_6951" align="alignnone" width="780"] Clayton Gray's first win as trainer. Tedders. July 25, 1964.[/caption] by Bob Gates What can I say? Those of you who know Clayton Gray will see the humour in the title of this week's blog story. Let's face it; you are more likely to see pigs fly than have a 15…
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Hey Good Lookin’, Attractive or Handsome?
[caption id="attachment_6055" align="alignright" width="780"] Major Enterprise retires. Ken Hendricks up[/caption] by Bob Gates Another Manitoba Derby is in the books and congratulations go out to winner Inside Straight and his connections! What a fine looking beast he is! And that got me to thinking about "lookers" from days gone by. Talk about walking into a…
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The Osiris Stakes – Fabulous 50 and Counting!
[caption id="attachment_2756" align="alignright" width="270" caption="The original Osiris Juvenile Plate!"][/caption] by Bob So what do an Egyptian God and a horse named Papyrus have to do with our Osiris Stakes? According to Egyptian mythology, “Osiris” is the name given to the god of the afterlife. It is also the name of a racehorse that was…
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Canada Day, Intercontinent, ASD Record Maker!
[caption id="attachment_2359" align="alignright" width="270" caption="Intercontinent defeats Major Enterprise in the 1981 Canada Day Stakes."][/caption] Kives' classy chestnut speedster one of the best ever to race at Downs by Bob This past Monday marked the 37th running of the $30,000 Canada Day Stakes for fillies and mares. Officially it may have been the 37th running,…
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