[caption id="attachment_19184" align="alignright" width="1000"] Buster Jeffrey at the ASD gate, circa 1970.[/caption] by Bob Gates The place? Old Polo Park Racetrack, right here in River City. The date? Thursday, June 16, 1955. The occasion? One of the strangest days in the history of local horse racing. They had finished four of the seven races that…
Read more
A Man and his Horse: The Tale of “Slim” Keith & Contributor
[caption id="attachment_10163" align="alignright" width="1000"] 1941 Western Canada Handicap. Contributor (#3) finishes second on the rail.[/caption] by Bob Gates "Someday, in the future, when a historian begins to record the story of western racing there will be a chapter for gallant little Joey - the Duchess of York - for Help Yourself and Yorkie Prince -…
Read more
Field of Dreams brought it all in 1977 Polo Park Handicap
[caption id="attachment_5775" align="alignright" width="780"] July 4, 2016 marks the 60th anniversary of the closing of Polo Park.[/caption] by Bob Gates Sunraysed, Taboga, Persian Memories, Victor's Pride, Merry's Jay, Federal Ruler, Icy Welcome and Island Fling. What links these former equine stars who called Assiniboia Downs home during the 1970s? Well, this is one of the many…
Read more
When Hollywood came to Winnipeg to race, those were the days!
[caption id="attachment_5736" align="alignnone" width="780"] Well Caught wins for Don Carlos. June 29, 1951. Polo Park.[/caption] by Bob Gates [caption id="attachment_5734" align="alignright" width="218"] Anita King[/caption] Who knew? Once upon a long time ago Whittier Park and Polo Park race tracks were playgrounds for the rich and famous. Hollywood types from the early to mid-1900s made regular…
Read more