Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame horseman Robert "Bob" A. McIntosh of Windsor, Ont. passed away on Sunday, July 28 at the age of 71.
Bob McIntosh’s list of accomplishments made him a surefire Hall of Famer the first time on the ballot.
McIntosh has been recognized as Canada’s top trainer of Standardbred racehorses seven times. His stable has won more than 4,600 races and earned more than $106 million in purses – the leading money-winner among Canadian trainers and one of just four trainers in the history of the sport to top the $100 million mark.
McIntosh won back-to-back Canadian & U.S. Horse Of The Year titles with Artsplace, who posted an unbeaten season in 1992, and Staying Together in 1993. Whenyouwishuponastar was also named Canada’s top Standardbred in 1996.
He also earned two Glen Garnsey Awards for being the top trainer in the United States and twice was named Canada’s Horseperson of the Year.
McIntosh earned multiple wins in the Jugette, Canadian Pacing Derby, U.S. Pacing Championship, and locally, sent out four winners of Windsor Raceway’s Provincial Cup – Bond Street (1988), Mystery Fund (1989), Camluck (1990) and Artiscape (1998). He is the third-leading winner of Breeders Crown titles as a trainer with 16 trips to the winner's circle in the championship series, including back-to-back winner Artiscape (1997-98).
McIntosh was inducted into the U.S. Harness Racing Hall of Fame in Goshen, New York in 2003 and the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2010.
McIntosh, who was born in the southwestern Ontario hamlet of Wheatley, first began in the business helping his father Jack run the family stable. Later, Bob worked for his older brother Doug’s stable before branching out on his own.
In recent years, thanks in part to the success of his 1990 Breeders Crown champion Camluck as a sire, McIntosh has become a major player in the breeding end of the game. His homebreds are dominant in Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) action and he’s won the Johnston Cup as the top trainer in the OSS program a record eight times. McIntosh campaigned O'Brien Award-winning homebreds Sunny Dee, Only Take Cash and two-time divisional winner L A Delight, who was undefeated in her OSS career. McIntosh was a four-time Armstrong Breeder of the Year Award winner in Canada (2007, 2010, 2012 and 2014).
His influential stallion Camluck was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2003, a year after Staying Together was inducted.
Predeceased by wife Patty McIntosh. Survived by sons Rob McIntosh, Dr. Sean McIntosh; brother Doug McIntosh, sister Mary Ann Sholdice; niece Ann Sholdice, nephews Mark Sholdice and Dylan McIntosh; good friend, cousin and business partner Al McIntosh, and many more cousins.
A full obituary and service details will be posted when available.
Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Bob McIntosh.
(Standardbred Canada with files from Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame)
Condolences
Harness racing and humanity has suffered a huge loss with the passing of Bob McIntosh. His contribution to our great sport is hard to measure. His father, Jack the consummate horseman and gentleman taught both his sons, Bob and Doug the same from the ground up and they did not disappoint him. That's the true meaning of good pedigree and family. Bob's legacy goes into the group of O'Brien, Waples and Filion to name a few.
Thanks Bob for all you gave to North American horse racing, you made Canada proud!
Sincerely your friend,
Gerry Belore.