[caption id="attachment_12620" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Smoky Cinder wins the 1997 Canadian Derby.[/caption] by Bob Gates The last time I saw Smoky… he was an image in my rearview mirror. In September 2019, I had gone to the Pawluk farm for what I expected would be my final visit with Smoky Cinder. I had travelled to Woodlands…
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The Greatest Race That Never Was
[caption id="attachment_11846" align="alignnone" width="1080"] Man O' War. How good was he?[/caption] by Bob Gates For as long as most of us can remember, the first Saturday in May is reserved for the Kentucky Derby, but not this year. The "Run for the Roses" was rescheduled to the fall because of COVID-19. You just knew NBC…
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Assiniboia Downs Kicks Off Season #63 of Live Racing
Milestones & Memories Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at the 1970 Manitoba Centennial Derby by Bob Gates Welcome to the new "normal" as the Downs makes the final preparations to open for its inaugural "No Fans In The Stands" 2020 race meet. We have all lived the events of this spring and heaven knows they…
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Racehorses, Forever Homes & the Final Furlong
[caption id="attachment_7429" align="alignnone" width="780"] Monsoon Rain and Larry Carter.[/caption] by Bob Gates I'm back following a week's hiatus due to one of the ugliest bouts of, well, why don't we just call it a bad case of colic and leave it at that. I'm still on the mend and am writing this from what was…
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Woodlands’ Wizard – Ed Pawluk
[caption id="attachment_4303" align="alignright" width="270"] Ed Pawluk's Tigger Bay was voted 2003 Alberta Champion 3-Year-Old Colt.[/caption] by Bob When he's not falling out of trees, Woodlands' Ed Pawluk can be found hard at work on his 40-acre farm with his partner-for-life, Joyce. Some 40 odd years ago, Ed and Joyce sold the trailer park they owned…
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15 minutes with Smoky Cinder
[caption id="attachment_2536" align="alignright" width="270" caption="Smoky Cinder in 1999."][/caption] Competitive fires still burning in local living legend by Bob Who knew? Downs’ legendary graded stakes-placed and multiple stakes winner Smoky Cinder, a grandson of the mighty Northern Dancer, is alive and well at 20! One night at the track I approached the man who used…
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Happy Birthday Gary Danelson! All-time leading trainer at Assiniboia Downs!
[caption id="attachment_1520" align="alignright" width="270" caption="Coherence. August 29, 1959. Gary Danelson's first ever win at Assiniboia Downs."][/caption] by Bob Gary Danelson, son of Henry and Hazel, and a native of Scobey Montana, is the all-time leading trainer at Assiniboia Downs. He entered the 2012 season with 1,115 wins and has now added 12 more to sit…
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