As the final race of the day at Woodbine Racetrack went official on June 29, it marked not just the end of another card, but the conclusion of Gunnar Lindberg’s remarkable six-decade career in horse racing.
A former jockey, teletheatre manager, and since 2016, a respected senior steward with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), Lindberg has been a steady presence in virtually every corner of the Ontario racing industry. Now, he’s ready to turn the page, retiring to a new home in Bayfield, Ontario, alongside his wife, Laurie.
“It’s time,” Lindberg said with a smile. “I’ve been coming to the track since I was 10 years old, riding my bike just to be around the horses. You probably haven’t seen the last of me — but I’m ready for a new adventure.”
Horse racing runs deep in Lindberg’s bloodline. His grandfather, Joe Cowley, and his father, Herb Lindberg, were both accomplished riders. Herb famously won the 1935 King’s Plate and was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 1991.
“Riding was always my dream—it’s what I lived for,” Lindberg reflected.
And live for it he did. After honing his horsemanship skills under trainers like Art Warner — who was then working with the budding Sam-Son Farm of Ernie Samuel — Lindberg rode his first race at 16 in 1973. His first stakes victory came aboard Sam-Son’s talented Runnin Roman, but many more followed, including wins on Canadian champions like Pole Position and Blushing Katy.
Over his riding career, Lindberg competed at 30 racetracks across North America, including an impressive eight-year run on the competitive Maryland circuit, riding for Hall of Fame trainer King Leatherbury.
But at just 35, injuries and the challenges of weight management brought his riding days to an early close. By then, he had accumulated 997 career wins, including nearly 70 stakes victories.
Determined to stay involved in the sport he loved, Lindberg turned his attention to the business side of racing.
“I always wanted to better myself, so I learned everything I could about computers and wagering,” he said.
That led to a decade-long stint at Woodbine as a teletheatre manager and working in the money room, gaining valuable insight into the operational side of racing.
In the early 2000s, the Ontario Racing Commission (now AGCO) came calling, encouraging Lindberg to become a racing steward — a role he describes as both challenging and deeply fulfilling.
“It’s been wonderful. I liked being part of something where you could make a real difference — keeping the sport fair, weeding out the bad guys, so to speak,” he explained.
In 2024, Lindberg received one of Canadian racing’s most prestigious honours — the Avelino Gomez Memorial Award for his significant contributions to the sport. The recognition came full circle, as Gomez himself was one of the first to greet the young Lindberg with the traditional initiation antics after his first victory decades earlier.
As Lindberg trades the Woodbine grandstand for the peaceful shores of Lake Huron near Grand Bend, he leaves with gratitude and pride.
“Woodbine has always been like a second home to me,” he said. “It’s one of the nicest tracks I ever rode at, and I’ve always been treated with respect. I tried to approach my steward role with knowledge, fairness, and love for the sport and the people in it.”
Looking back, Lindberg is content.
“I think I did a good job, and I fit in pretty well,” he added with a grin.
But for those who know Gunnar Lindberg, his passion for racing means this likely isn’t the last time the industry will see him — just the beginning of a new chapter.
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