[caption id="attachment_14051" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Pool to Market sets new track record in 1967 Gold Cup at Assiniboia Downs[/caption] by Bob Gates One of the many challenges facing Jack Hardy when he opened Assiniboia Downs in 1958 was to establish races that would grow into annual contests steeped in tradition. In the first year of…
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Stakes Honor Influential Builders at ASD
[caption id="attachment_12514" align="alignright" width="1000"] Buffy Twins & Hugh Jackson. 1981 Winnipeg Futurity.[/caption] by Bob Gates R. C. Anderson, Frank Arnason, Jack Hardy, Phil Kives, R. J. Speers, J. W. Sifton and Hazel Wright make up the collective of builders that are remembered through memorial stake races in 2020 at Assiniboia Downs. There have been others…
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It all began with a “Fling” – Island Fling that is…
[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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Philip Kives, Master of K5 Stables – A Tribute
[caption id="attachment_5380" align="alignright" width="390"] Phil Kives with Island Fling in 1978.[/caption] by Bob Gates Much has been written about the president and founder of K-tel International since his unexpected death on April 27, 2016. Today we leave the world of the Miracle Brush, Veg-O-Matic, Teflon Fry Pan, Patty Stacker and records like "Hooked on Classics"…
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Husbands wins 4 on opening night 2016 at ASD, Wagering doubles
[caption id="attachment_5341" align="alignleft" width="790"] Out of Mischief powers home to win the first race of the 2016 season at ASD, the Don Gray Memorial, for trainer Gary Danelson. Richard Mairs up.[/caption] Jockey Chris Husbands won four of the eight races on Mothers' Day opening night 2016 at Assiniboia Downs; trainer Tom Gardipy Jr. scored a…
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A Tale of Two Wolves for 2016 Opening Day at ASD
[caption id="attachment_5124" align="aligncenter" width="780"] One of three winners for Bernie "Longshot" Howland on Opening Day 1971.[/caption] by Bob Gates The 2016 live racing season kicks off on Mother's Day, Sunday, May 8, as has become our custom at Assiniboia Downs, and have I got a story for you. It goes like this: An old Cherokee…
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Master Lightning – 2014 Manitoba Derby Contenders
[caption id="attachment_3768" align="alignright" width="270"] Master Lightning has that look in his eyes.[/caption] by George If winning the Manitoba Derby was based solely on the company you kept, Master Lightning would be tough to beat. The royally-bred stakes-placed son of Bluegrass Stakes-G1 winner Pulpit had been running competitively against the best 3-year-olds in North America until…
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Manitoba proud Goldencents makes championship bid in New York Saturday, his mother’s Manitoba breeder to be honoured at ASD
[caption id="attachment_3124" align="alignright" width="270" caption="Manitoba proud! Goldencents takes on 10 rivals in $500,000 Cigar Mile Saturday."][/caption] The world champion colt with Manitoba breeding, Goldencents, is pointed to a race this Saturday, Nov. 27 that could solidify his chances of being named the top 3-year-old male of the year. Fresh from winning the world championship…
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Manitoba pride soars as Goldencents triumphs in Breeders’ Cup World Championships
Chalk up a historic "golden" moment for Manitoba on the world stage of horse racing. [caption id="attachment_3063" align="alignright" width="184" caption="Goldencents! 2013 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner!"][/caption] Goldencents, the 3-year-old colt born to Assiniboia Downs mare Golden Works, crushed 10 rivals in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile-G1 last Friday in the Breeders' Cup…
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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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