Track announcer Dan Loiselle, the voice of Canadian horse racing, will call his last race at Woodbine Racetrack on May 31 bringing a 29-year career as thoroughbred race caller to a close.
“Woodbine Entertainment Group has been blessed with the distinctive tones of Dan Loiselle, truly the voice of Canadian racing, for nearly three decades,” said Jim Lawson, CEO of Woodbine Entertainment Group. “Dan has added colour to countless great racing moments through the years and we invite you to join us on Sunday and celebrate the career of a great Canadian that I’m proud to call my friend.”
A number of events are scheduled to honour Loiselle’s final afternoon of calling the races including a commemorative program highlighting many of the track announcer’s special moments, featuring an insert penned by former Toronto Star sports columnist/editor Dave Perkins.
Loiselle’s good friend Tom Durkin, the recently retired ‘Voice of New York Horse Racing’ will be in attendance and appearing on Woodbine’s in-house simulcast show with announcers Jim Bannon and Jeff Bratt in advance of the day’s second race.
The Final Call will come in Race 4 (Approx. 2:32 p.m. EST), the Lady Angela Stakes, a $125,000 sprint for Ontario-sired sophomore fillies. Loiselle will then make his way to the winner’s circle to present the trophy to the winning connections and pose for a photo with Woodbine’s jockey colony.
Following the running of the Lady Angela, fans are welcome to meet and greet with Loiselle on the second floor grandstand for a ceremonial cake cutting.
A special video presentation, chronicling Loiselle’s favourite calls and moments over a career that has spanned three decades, will play ahead of the day’s fifth race.
Loiselle’s career highlights include, to name a few, calling home five Triple Crown champions led by With Approval (1989), Izvestia (1990), Dance Smartly (1991), Peteski (1993) and Wando (2003).
“Danny’s Wando call for the Triple Crown sticks in my mind the most. His race calls are just spot on, especially in the big races. He just strikes that perfect tone between being totally non partial and being a fan. That’s a delicate balancing act and Danny has always been able to strike the perfect chord,” said Durkin.
“They come to the final sixteenth, and Canada salutes the Breeders’ Stakes winner and the Triple Crown champion…Wando was better than wonderful this afternoon, he was magnificent!” {Link to replay.]
Loiselle’s voice has travelled across the continent adding a Canadian accent to five all-star announcer days having stepped into the booth at Churchill Downs, Belmont Park (twice), Arlington Park and Monmouth Park.
In addition to calling the races, Loiselle has played a vital role as master of ceremonies for a myriad of functions including Sovereign Awards, O’Brien Awards, Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society Awards and LongRun Galas.
While hosting post position draws for Woodbine’s marquee races, Loiselle has interviewed a number of high-profile guests including Gordie Howe, Alex Trebek and Mickey Rooney.
“Dan is not just a great announcer, he’s a great man. I’m going to really miss him. It saddens me that he’s leaving and it’s going to be difficult for a long time to watch the races and not hear Dan,” said Mark Casse, perennial leading trainer at Woodbine in a recent At The Races interview. “My son Colby, he’s 12, and he calls the races all the time and does all the Dan Loiselle calls. He’s never heard anybody else at Woodbine. For that matter, I don’t think I have. It will be a sad day.”
Robert Geller, formerly the track announcer at Emerald Downs Racetrack, will call his first race at Woodbine on Saturday, June 13.
Many have commented that Geller has big shoes to fill in Loiselle’s absence.
“You don’t fill those shoes, you put on a new pair and march forward,” said Lawson. “Robert owns a unique voice and he is among the elite announcers in the sport. We look forward to creating new memories with Robert here at Woodbine, starting with the Canadian classics this summer.”
Woodbine racing analyst Dawn Lupul will call the remainder of the May 31 card with backup announcer Greg Blanchard filling in on an interim basis until Geller’s first foray into the announcer’s booth on the eve of the Woodbine Oaks, presented by Budweiser.
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