A brief history of
The Prestigious Saskatchewan Derby

The front-page headline of The Leader-Post on Friday, August 4, 1961 read, “Douglas Takes Over Leadership.” The night before, then-premier of Saskatchewan, Tommy Douglas, won the battle to become the first leader of the federal New Democratic Party in Ottawa. For those in Regina not interested in politics, the Army & Navy Department Store had a week-long sale celebrating the festivities of the Provincial Exhibition with their 88c Days.
Horse racing fans, however, were poised to witness history-in-the-making the very next afternoon, with the inaugural running of the Saskatchewan Derby, at the Regina Exhibition grounds. The day turned out to be a real scorcher, so betters made their picks quickly and retreated to the shaded stands to wait for the 9-horse field to take to the track.
Once the race was underway, after one false start, it was a one-horse show. Calgary ship-in, Sir Demijohn, ridden by jockey Don Ross, took an early lead and was never threatened during the 1-1/16 mile race, taking the win by nine lengths. In the Winner’s Circle, Mrs. Jack Pearl, the wife of the Exhibition president, congratulated co-owner, Chris Bro, on his win at the event’s debut. That baptismal day kick-started the long-standing Saskatchewan tradition of the annual running of the Saskatchewan Derby, a ritual still practiced to this day.
When times in the racing industry got tough in the mid-’80s, Regina’s Exhibition Track suffered several hits to its operation. In 1984, the Derby lost its title sponsorship, which precipitated a drop in the purse from $15,000 down to $10k. After the 25th running of the Derby in 1985, that city’s most durable and popular sports facility, for over 80 years, was demolished to make room for a $10 million expansion project. Officials felt certain they would be able to secure a new sponsor the following year, but that wasn’t in the cards.
For its first 28 years, the Derby mainly stayed put in Regina, with three exceptions when it was run in Saskatoon (1975,1982 & 1987). Regina’s new facility, Queensbury Downs, was only destined to host the event one time, in 1988, before the Derby’s permanent home shifted to Marquis Downs in 1989, where it has run continuously ever since.
Year | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Owner |
---|---|---|---|---|
2020 | - | - | - | - |
2019 | Rox Star Believeit | Garfield Gordon | Judy Hunter | Kane Kachur |
2018 | Dare To Enter | Sheldon Rodrigo | Courtney Ross | Pink Cloud Racing |
2017 | Dublin Day | Sheldon Chickeness | Robbin Martins | Duane Antoine |
2016 | Trill Point | Daniel Gopie | Colleen O’Hagen | Pink Cloud Racing |
2015 | Saturdaynitelites | Stanley Chadee Jr | Jamie Hartmann | Pink Cloud Racing |
2014 | Time For A Memory | Chris Russell | Tim Rycroft | Ed Maier |
2013 | Just Win Baby | Krista Carignan | Don Blue | B.E.A. Holdings Ltd. & Ed Maier |
2012 | Double Kisses | Richard Mangalee | Ron Smith | Red Ron Farms |
2011 | Treasured Kitten | Herbert Martinez | Craig Smith | Don Dimma |
2010 | Cherokee’s Goal | Juan Crawford | Wendy Anderson | Hy Road Stable |
2009 | Tease The Tiger | Jake Barton | Monica Russell | Riversedge Racing Stable |
2008 | Half Mine | Stephen Heiler | Monica Russell | Norm Catiglione |
2007 | Sin Toro | Jake Barton | Stuart Simon | Roland Embree |
2006 | Paxton Ridge | Serge Rocheleau | Stuart Simon | Frank Schira |
2005 | Wild Dancer | Serge Rocheleau | Arlene Flegel | Jud Willms & Doug Howe |
2004 | Noble Dane | Doug Jones | Judy Hunter | Kane Kachur |
2003 | Beauzak | Richard Hamel | Stuart Simon | RJ Stables |
2002 | Regal Randy | Leanne Painter | Robertino Diodoro | Kim Lebold & Randy Howg |
2001 | Red Vil Do | Rick Stevens | Bob Barr | Barb Richter |
2000 | Max Factor | Rory Noel | Robertino Diodoro | Bill Dyment |
1999 | Code Name Fred | Arturo Rosales | Ron Grieves | Barr None Stables |
1998 | Shady Remark | Rick Stevens | Dale Saunders | B. Chapman & D. Saunders |
1997 | Lambeau Field | Chris Madeira | G. White | Sander, Drumheller & Wild Horse Stable |
1996 | Daisy | Mike Halabi | Jim Twigg | River Ridge Farms & D. Ring |
1995 | Calculated Risk | Scott Dahl | Ron Burrell | Sly Stables |
1994 | Beat The Rest | Serge Rocheleau | Carl Anderson | Steve Ruznisky |
1993 | Isntthatnice | Chris McGregor | Ron Brock | Empire Meadow |
1992 | Solid As A Buck | Arturo Rosales | John Poirier | Seven L Plus One Stable |
1991 | Kool Discovery | Perry Winters | Ron Burrell | Empire Meadow |
1990 | Baby Blush | Jack Wash | Carl Anderson | Anderson, Drushelniski & Laventure |
1989 | Kristys Avatar | Jack Wash | Thomas Dodds | Nine Oaks Stable |
1988 | Darby’s Chant | Brian Boyd | Brian Palaniuk | Hazel Wright |
1987 | Fatale Fella | Lane Rennaker | Thomas Dodds | Jack Harasyn |
1986 | Wild Oscar | Clayton Thom | Lloyd Preece | Lloyd Preece |
1985 | Provocative Prince | Lane Rennaker | Ron Burrell | R & K Burrell |
1984 | Jocko J. | Thomas Hinojosa | Pat Little | Kay Mazer |
1983 | Rathleale | Lindsey Johnson | Bill Houliston | Alfour Stable |
1982 | Marrobrich | Brydon Argent | Todd Antonuk | Jim Leakos |
1981 | Inacourt | Arturo Rosales | Ron Burrell | Chancery & Teekay Stables |
1980 | Jeremy Jay | Dean Martinuk | C.J. Gray | Robert McGee |
1979 | Fowl Supper | Bruce Phelan | Harold Baroby | Canada West Ranches & Maple Leaf Stable |
1978 | Winning Flag | Jim McGhie | Harold Baroby | Canada West Ranches |
1977 | Willie’s Duke | Bruce Phelan | Harold Baroby | Canada West Ranches |
1976 | Lord Bjorg | Irwin Driedger | Ed Uhran | Don Bjarnason |
1975 | Canada’s Reply | Dwayne Wiseman | R.C. O’Bray | D.M. Fraser |
1974 | County’s Choice | Dean Kutz | D. Saunders | Engstom & Saunders |
1973 | Chariot Trip | Eugene Giesbrecht | Richard Mathes | Lomar Stable |
1972 | Fourthought | Daniel Sanchez | Joe Stouffer | Golden West Farm |
1971 | Starry Prince | John Whittle | Angus Fraser | Golden West Farm |
1970 | Page Me Doll | Gerry Rasmussen | Angus Fraser | Flamingo Stable |
1969 | Tall Ridge | Gerry Rasmussen | C.W. Matier | C.W. Matier |
1968 | Deletus | Ken Whittle | D.G. Rees | Priddus Stock Farm |
1967 | Fortitude | Jack Phillips | Bud McDonald | F.M. Clarke Sr |
1966 | Empress of India | Don Bowcutt | E.J. Johnson | G.R. Gardiner |
1965 | Chariot Chaser | Sandy Shields | R.W. McKenzie | Lomar Stable |
1964 - 2nd | Easter Echo | Art Stein | R.H. Marsh | Mrs. E.P. Ridge |
1964 - 1st | Goldie’s Best | Lee Wall | C. Marsh | C. Marsh |
1963 | Cruise Control | John Whittle | George O'Bray | George O'Bray |
1962 | Lucky Serab | Roy Searcy | Tommy Boyd | Richlea Stable |
1961 | Sir Demijohn | Don Ross | Chris Bro | Bro & Wickerson |