President

Sue Leslie 

A member of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, Sue Leslie has been one of the most influential people in Ontario horse racing for almost half a century. The HBPA Ontario's longtime president has been integral in building a sustainable future for horse racing in the province. Sue has been an owner,  trainer and held prominent positions with the former OHRIA and Ontario Racing. In 2011 she was presented with a Special Sovereign Award by the Jockey Club of Canada for spearheading racing's fight against government when the slots program was cancelled. Sue is also a board member of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame and LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society.

VP - Owners

Danny Vella

Two-time Sovereign Award winning trainer Danny Vella conditioned horses for Steve Stavro's Knob Hill Stable and the powerful Stronach Stables, winning his first Queen's Plate with that farm's Basqueian in 1994. Danny won his second Plate in 2012 with the BC-bred Strait of Dover for Canyon Farms. Danny returns to the HBPA board, after retiring from training the winners of over 800 races. He was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2024.

VP - Trainers

Josie Carroll

A horse lover as a young girl, Josie is regarded as one of this country's top trainers.  A three-time Queen's Plate winner, Josie was the first woman trainer to ever win that Canadian classic. She was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2019. In 2024, she won her 1000th career race.

Treasurer 

Sherry McLean

Owner of the successful Northern Dawn Stables which stands stallions, breeds mares and sells yearlings, Sherry began her career in racing with Armbro Farms and then the famed Gardiner Farms. Sherry has been a farm manager, groom, rider, stallion manager and she also has her own small broodmare band and racehorses. Sherry is also a steward of the Jockey Club of Canada.

Director

Roger Attfield

A member of the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame and the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, Roger is considered one of this country's greatest trainers. Roger has won a record-equalling eight Queen's Plates, three Canadian Triple Crowns and a Breeders' Cup race. A winner of over 2,000 races, Roger has long been a key figure in Ontario racing.

Director

Veronica Attard

Veronica Attard has been a director for the HBPA for over a decade. She has been involved in the Ontario horse racing industry for some 40 years in many facets of the sport. Veronica has been an owner, groom, hotwalker and trainer's administrative assistant. Veronica is also wife to Hall of Fame jockey Larry Attard who is now a trainer. Veronica represents the HBPA as a director of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame.

Director

Josie DePaulo

Josie remembers working on the family horse farm as a young girl. Her father Joe Attard became a successful trainer at Woodbine and Josie could be found at the track helping her father and brother Steve, who also became a trainer. Josie has been assistant trainer to husband Mike DePaulo for 35 years and she is a board member at LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society.

Director

Kevin Attard

Kevin has risen to the top of the trainer's list since he started his first few horses some 25 years ago. From a mostly claiming stable, Kevin came into prominence with his claim Starship Jubilee, the eventual 2019 Canadian Horse of the Year. Kevin won his first Queen's Plate in 2022 with Moira and then the 2024 King's Plate with Caitlinhergrtness. It was Moira's victory in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Del Mar in November 2024 that put Kevin in elite company, a Breeders' Cup winning trainer. Moira was voted the Eclipse Award Champion Turf Mare for 2024.

Director

Don MacRae

Horses have been in Don's life since he was a young man growing up in Hamilton, ON. Don has been a trainer and owner for about three decades and has had a successful claiming stable that has grown into a stakes stable. Don enjoys sharing ownership of his racehorses with clients and he has maintained a high in-the-money percentage throughout his career.