Racing Corner - Doing It Their Way

Jeff and Robyn Voyce – Doing It Their Way

The Fort Erie racetrack backstretch opened this week and its excited horsepeople await the opening of the main track for training on April 13.

The husband and wife team of trainer Jeff and owner Robyn Voyce are eager to bring their small group of horses to the track, especially since they had a career year in 2024.

“We can't wait to get them back to the track,” said Jeff. “This is our job and we love what we do.”

Last year Jeff sent out 11 winners at Fort Erie, two at Ajax Downs and one at Woodbine. He led all trainers at Fort Erie by win percentage (minimum 20 starters) at 35 percent and his 36 starters earned over $3,100 per start.

In addition, Robyn's gelding Sea to Air, an Ontario bred by Air Force Blue, became the first horse to win a race at three Ontario tracks: Fort Erie, Woodbine and Ajax, the latter being the country's top Quarter Horse track which introduced Battle of the Breeds races in 2023. Sea to Air won two races over Quarter Horses last year and was presented with a trophy for the track's top Thoroughbred at the track's recent awards ceremony.Both Jeff and Robyn come from deep Ontario racing familes,

Jeff, who grew up in Mississauga, had a grandfather who owned horses and an uncle, Chris, who owned and trained horse. His father enjoyed the races and his mother worked the money rooms at Woodbine and Greenwood, Jeff's brother Casey raced Standardbreds in Alberta and that is where Jeff began to learn about horse care, grooming and all things racehorses.

Jeff gravitated to working with Thoroughbreds upon his return to Ontario, taking a deep interest in pedigrees and horse physiology. He worked for trainers such as Catherine Day Phillips and Mike Wright Jr, before meeting Robyn Guitard at Woodbine when she was working for Mark Casse.

Robyn also had horses in her background. Her father John was integral in preparing young horses for Kinghaven Farms in its hey-day and Dave, her uncle, was a successful trainer. Soon both were working for Casse under assistant Greg de Gannes.

Jeff and Robyn were married and welcomed twin boys but the racetrack was going to have to take a back seat while they raised their family. They left racing for a decade and then put a plan in place in which they would purchase their own truck and trailer and put together a small stable of horses of their own or with partners.

“We wanted to be focused on doing what we love to do so that we could be successful at it,” said Jeff. “So far, things are going well.”

Sea to Air, who was claimed for $10,000 in the fall of 2023, was just one of the couple's stars last season. Hiatus, co-owned by Herb McGirr, Jr., was named Fort Erie's Male Distance Horse of the Year at the HBPA Awards thanks to a trio of victories.

Opening day of the Fort Erie season is Tuesday, May 27.

Cheering Section - Moira Down Unda!

You will have to stay up late Friday night, April 4, to watch Canadian star mare Moira make her Australian debut in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile at Royal Randwick racecourse.

The prestigious Doncaster Mile at 1,600 metres is race 8 on a blockbuster card of racing which includes the Australian Derby. Moira's race, which could be held over a yielding turf course, will go off at approximately 1:30 a.m., Saturday morning.

Moira will have post 18 of 20 should the also eligible entries scratch before post time. She is listed at 18 to 1 in the morning line odds.

The 2022 Canadian Horse of the Year and 2024 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner, trained by Kevin Attard, was sold for $4.3 million following her Breeders' Cup victory to Yulong.

Now trained by Chris Waller, Moira will be racing on a left-handed track for the first time. Zac Purton, a leading jockey in Hong Kong, will ride.

You can watch and wager on the race through www.HPBet.com.

The boutique Keeneland meeting in Lexington, KY was scheduled to begin on April 4, but a lot of heavy rain in the forecast led to the postponement of the first two days of the meeting.

Instead, Keeneland will open on Sunday, April 6, and the original first two days of the meeting will be held on April 7 and 8.

On Monday, one of the featured races is the Transylvania Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on turf.

Among the entries is Ontario bred Tom's Magic, a son of Justify from Dixie Chicken, bred by Toronto's Sean and Dorothy Fitzhenry. Tom's Magic, a $200,000 yearling purchase by CJ Thoroughbreds and Mo Speed Racing, comes off a win in the Black Gold stakes on turf at Fair Grounds. The Mike Stidham-trained colt is an early favourite for the King's Plate on Aug. 16 at Woodbine.

Tuesday's feature at Keeneland is the important Blue Grass Stakes (G1) worth $1.25 million featuring Kentucky Derby hopefuls, including River Thames, trained by Todd Pletcher.