[caption id="attachment_12105" align="aligncenter" width="1080"] Fire N Desire wins the St. James-Assiniboia Handicap. July 11, 1969.[/caption] by Bob Gates Following an 11-year absence (2009 -2019) the Downs 2020 stakes race calendar features the return of the Derby Trial. Jack Hardy resurrected the Manitoba Derby in 1960 and since that time 60 Derbies have been run at…
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The Manitoba Derby, The Forgotten Years – 1930 to 1940
[caption id="attachment_7550" align="alignnone" width="780"] The first winner of the Manitoba Stakes-Derby. Jack Whittier. 1930.[/caption] by Bob Gates It's been 57 years since Jack Hardy resurrected our Manitoba Derby in 1960 and this year's Derby is the 69th running of what was once touted as the "Run for the Tartan." I've never been a math genius,…
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Robert James Speers – Father of Thoroughbred Horse Racing on the Canadian Prairies
[caption id="attachment_2054" align="alignright" width="270" caption="Mr and Mrs. Speers at Polo Park."][/caption] Famed racing icon died three years before Assiniboia Downs was built but laid foundation for the future by Bob It’s been 20 years now since the Manitoba Jockey Club (MJC) took over Assiniboia Downs, and we owe a great deal to them for…
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Reeves Jr. and Nolan continue jockey battle at ASD on Victoria Day, Balooga Bull makes 3-year-old debut
[caption id="attachment_397" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Jockey Robert Reeves Jr. & agent Tim Gardiner"][/caption] by George Robert Reeves Jr. and Paul Nolan continue their battle atop the jockey standings today at Assiniboia Downs on Victoria Day Monday and 2011 Horse of the Year Balooga Bull makes his 3-year-old debut in the third race against five rivals. First…
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Mother’s Day payoffs big at ASD but She’s Copacetic wins filly feature as favorite
by George Call Me Misty probably left a few chalk players rubbing their eyes after the first race on Mother’s Day at ASD when she wired the field and paid $24.20 for a $2 bet, but the big payoffs sliced through the wind and under the sun all day in front of a large and…
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ASD Pick-4 pool could grow to $15,000 on Friday, Two horses to watch on Saturday
[caption id="attachment_273" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Trainer Jerry Gourneau saddles Ovid Fasti in Race 8 on Saturday."][/caption] by Rob The Pick-4 and the Pick-5 have both been carried over to the Friday, May 11 card of live racing at ASD and we’re looking forward to diving into the pools in search of a lucrative score! The Pick-4…
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