On a regular day for Bob Broadstock, president of the Ontario Quarter Racing Owners of Ontario, Inc., (QROOI) he is like any other horseman, up in the early hours of the morning tending to dozens of horses of all ages at his farm. The Broadstock farm in Nestleton, ON is run by Bob and his wife Marie and 2025 was the best year for their racing stable in more than a decade.
Training horses is just part of Bob’s days, however, and before lunch time he is attending to QROOI business or dashing across southern Ontario to attend meetings of the Ontario Racing board of directors north of Toronto. On race days at Ajax Downs, which opens its 2026 season on May 6, Bob, who might have up to a dozen starters a day, is shipping to the track, bringing his horses to the paddock to prepare to race and often playing host to members of his successful First Line Racing Syndicate. These days, his career as a computer programmer is only a small part of his non-stop week.
“It is a great industry,” said Bob. “The people in this game do it for the love of the horse. They get to spend their days working with their horses as well as doing their regular jobs. And we have a lot of support from the community and a great following.”
Bob’s 20-year role as president of the QROOI has gone far beyond putting together a racing, stakes and breeding program for Quarter Horses. In fact, many industry leaders credit him for his doggedness when it comes to government relations.
“Our industry benefits greatly from leaders who think beyond their own breed,” said CTHS Ontario president David Anderson. “Bob has consistently championed collaboration, built trusted government connections and worked tirelessly to protect and advance all three breeds in Ontario.
Raised in Toronto, Bob always had an affinity for horses. He was in high school when he bought a Paint horse to barrel race, trail ride and show jump. When his family moved to Ajax, a random trip to nearby Picov’s, the popular horseman’s store, to buy shavings resulted in him meeting trainer Joe Tavares.
“I started mucking stalls and galloping horses for Joe on his farm,” said Bob. “I briefly thought about being a jockey but instead I took out my trainer’s license.”
Bob went to college for computer programming, put together his own company and on the side, trained a couple of horses for himself and clients. The races were held at Picov Downs, a short ‘J’-shaped track opened by Alex Picov in 1968 and run by his son Norm.
“Back then, the early 1990s, we were racing for $65 winner’s share. Once you paid the jockey, bought a win photo and dinner, you were in the hole.”
By the late ‘90s, the purses averaged $1,000.
But he loved the sport and when Tavares, then president of the QROOI, talked Bob into being the stakes coordinator, it wasn’t long before he joined the board of directors.
Ontario racing hit new heights at the turn of the century with the unveiling of the Slots at Racetracks Program. Norm built a new track complete with a casino and Bob was integral in building a Quarter Horse industry and racing program that loaded the industry with over 600 racehorses and hundreds of broodmares.
Bob and Marie expanded their racing interests and their first homebred winner was Do the Locomotion.
A few years into the program, Bob had successfully worked out a deal with government for a bigger share of casino revenue for Quarter Horse racing. Unfortunately, it never came to fruition as the province cancelled the slot revenue program altogether.
Bob had to round up the troops and get horsepeople and industry members to lobby the new government that came in under Premier Kathleen Wynne and convince it that horse racing was a vital industry for the province.
“It was difficult to keep everyone motivated to go to the government,” Bob said. “This was a big grassroots lobbying effort and all the breeds were in constant talks with the government.”
The result was short term funding plan created by a three-person transitional panel which eventually led to a 19-year-old funding agreement for Ontario horse racing,
Bob’s lobbying work wasn’t done though as there arose a concern that Ajax Downs slots were going to be taken as a new casino was being built in nearby Pickering.
“Our horsepeople came through in a big way,” said Bob. “We lobbied for Minister of Finance Rod Phillips to be elected to represent Ajax and he supported our two-casino solution.”
Ajax Downs got to keep most of its slot machines and today, while there are still many battles that need solutions, Bob has helped lead the sport through a couple of records in wagering in 2025. When an additional funding agreement with the province was being negotiated, Bob was squarely in the middle.
“The government never stops,” Bob said. “I like to keep them involved and work on how we can help them and how they can help us. I want to build relationships and foundation so that I can know that I can go and talk to them. I know how to make noise but also be realistic about our sport compared to Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing.”
Horse population is a major problem in all horse racing jurisdictions in North American and Ajax Downs has had the same issue.
“We just need some people to have confidence in getting into the breeding again. And the horses are expensive United States, so it doesn't make sense to bring horses up from there.”
Bob’s First Line Racing Syndicate, which is entering its 11th year, has provided excitement, fun events and many wins for its 20 to 30 syndicate members. The club pays a one-time fee of $2,500 for two years and two racehorses (no bills) and that includes farm visits and dinners. Last year’s pairing of Politics N Lights and Hesmagicalydelicious were multiple winners and will be back again for 2026.
“The syndicate is so refreshing,” Bob said. “The people in it are here for the experience of owning a share of a racehorse. They love the events and the racing action.”
Bob said he is hopeful that Quarter Horse racing is growing once again and notes that the sport is important to the Ajax and Pickering community for many reasons.
“We do a lot of charity work for the hospital; when we raise money through our Family Dun Day and the hospital uses that to buy a piece of equipment, you know that helped save someone’s life,” he said.
Fans who crowd our track during the summer love being so close to the horses and our people are very much down-to-earth. That makes Quarter Horse racing part of the attraction.
- Jennifer Morrison
More Top Racing Headlines