Woodbine’s Director of Broadcasting Rob Platts / Rideau Carleton Raceway Announcer and Standardbred Trainer John MacMillan / Bob Broadstock, President of the Ontario-based Quarter Racing Owners of Ontario Inc.

Ann and Larry are joined by Woodbine’s Director of Broadcasting Rob Platts, who discusses the recent Media Eclipse Award for Feature Television programming, which the Woodbine Broadcasting team garnered for producing a piece called ‘SECRETARIAT, THE LAST RACE.’ The show focuses on Secretariats last race in the Canadian International and it was aired on the 50th Anniversary of last years International in October. Robert talks about the team behind the production and also discusses his career at Woodbine which began at a young age. Rideau Carleton Raceway Announcer and Standardbred Trainer John MacMillan, who discusses being diagnosed with a Brain Tumor last Summer and how he has been forced to change his lifestyle in order to continue being active in the Standardbred industry. John also talks about  some of the symptoms which led him to seeing a doctor and be given the diagnosis and also talks about the Rideau Carleton 2023 race meet and some of the highlights for the upcoming season which begins in March and mentions how he is continuing to train for a half marathon in the Spring , in Myrtle Beach. Bob Broadstock, President of the Ontario-based Quarter Racing Owners of Ontario Inc., who discusses the Association and in particular a Racing Syndicate designed to bring new owners into the Ontario Quarter horse industry. Bob also talks about the recent Ajax Downs meet and mentions how he originally became involved in Quarter horses. Bob also mentions about how the popularity of Quarter horse racing in Ontario compares to the United States. In our feature, ‘In Case You Missed It’ A Look at The Way It Was in Horse Racing News, Larry mentions about Woodbine Jockey Sophia Vives, who is a finalist for an Eclipse Award in the category of outstanding Jockey in North America. He also discusses a horse by the name of Kopion, who was a winner of a Grade 3 stakes race at Santa Anita and her Woodbine/Canadian connections. He also provides his ‘Ponies Picks of the Day’ selections for several North American Racetracks today. 

Key Points: 

Rob talks first about the making of the award winning ‘SECRETARIAT, THE LAST RACE’ and the team behind the production. He also discusses why the production was released during the telecast of the Canadian International in October and how they tried to bring in as many of the original ‘players’ from the 1973 race into the production and gives a ‘shout out’ to his producer, Tammy Gillanders. He also mentions whether at any time did he and his team ever expect the feature to win an Eclipse Award, and Rob also discusses how he came from a racing family and that he started working at Woodbine in his teens and how he eventually got involved in the Broadcasting side of the business.John talks first about being diagnosed last Summer with a brain tumor and how this setback has forced him to change his approach to training horses and announcing races. He also discusses how he knew it was time to see a doctor and how he was having trouble calling races when he was filling in for Woodbine Mohawk Park announcer, Ken Middleton. John also mentions how he has a good team supporting him now and talks about one race that he called at Rideau Carleton, where the winner of the race was his own and mentions the role he believes the grooms of the horses play behind the scenes. John also talks about how he is still preparing to run in a Half Marathon in Myrtle Beach and how he has been forced to adjust his training regime and does talk about last years Rideau Carleton meet and looks forward to some of the highlights for the upcoming season. Bob discusses the Quarter Racing Owners of Ontario Inc., which he is President of and a new ownership initiative that they have designed to attract new owners into the business in 2024. Bob also talks about how he became involved in Quarter horse racing initially and discusses his farm in Skugog Township and how many horses he expects to train in 2024 when the Ajax Downs race meet opens. Bob also talks about the major differences between the Quarter horse industry here in Ontario compared to the US industry and talks about a horse that competed at Ajax Downs in 2023 that could win a major industry award shortly. He also discusses a successful 2023 season at Ajax Downs.