Douglas Wayne Anderson

Father, Grandfather, Friend and Horseman

“I spent half my money on horses, and I wasted the rest.”

On a rainy April 16th evening of 2026, Doug said goodbye to a world that gave him a most exciting and fulfilling life.

Doug will be lovingly remembered by his wife (Rita Eskudt) and profoundly missed by his children Dante (Vanessa Theoret) and Stefan (Hilary Prosser), his adorable grandchildren Theo and Scarlett Anderson and Victoria DeCiantis, and his extended family, friends, and fellow horse people.

Doug was born in Hagersville, Ontario, to William Gordon Francis Anderson and Kathleen Phyllis (Craggs) Anderson on February 3, 1951, their first-born son and eldest of his siblings, Les Anderson and Linda Davidson (née Anderson, deceased). He spent his first six years in Hagersville, then moved to Hamilton, where he attended elementary and secondary school. At Hill Park High School, he excelled at academics and served as President of the Student Council. Doug was forever proud of recruiting praised Motown act JR Walker & The All Stars for the Winter Carnival – a great risk, with even greater reward.

He left Hamilton in 1969 to attend Veterinary College at the University of Guelph, hoping to achieve his dream of becoming a veterinarian, but that did not work out as planned. Instead, he graduated with a Social Science degree in 1974, working in Student Services while completing his studies. Doug then moved to Toronto and attended the Faculty of Administrative Studies at York University, now Schulich, and graduated with a Master of Business Administration.

Doug had an immensely successful career with iconic organizations including Imperial Oil, Telemedia and Cott. While with Telemedia, he took immersive French language training and became fluent in French, which he practiced regularly throughout his life. In the mid 1990’s, he established his own human resources consulting business and developed an impressive list of clients spanning small and medium sized enterprises. Doug joined Benchmark Performance Incorporated in 2004, where he served as President for 19 years and continued as Chair of the Board. Doug was admired by his colleagues and made many lifelong friends through his work.

Doug had two constant passions in life – horses and family – jockeying for position on any given day.

Doug was the definition of a horse fanatic. His passion for horses started at a very young age, inspired by his father and by Northern Dancer winning the Kentucky Derby. This passion blossomed into an uncompromising commitment to all aspects of the sport through his adult life. He purchased his first thoroughbred in 1997 and went on to race award-winners A Bit O’ Gold (2004 Prince of Wales Stakes and Breeders’ Stakes Winner, 2004 Canadian Champion 3-Year-Old Male, 2005 Breeders’ Cup Classic Participant, 2005 Canadian Thoroughbred of the Year) and Millie Girl (2023 Canadian Champion Older Dirt Female), among many others with 446 racing starts to his name. His equine brood presently includes several mares in foal, foals, yearlings, and horses of racing age, a legacy that his wife will continue. He was thrilled that the 2026 season at Woodbine would showcase eight horses that he bred. Doug also loved to travel for horses, attending meets in the United States, United Kingdom and Europe. His long list included the Cheltenham Festival, Longchamps, York, Chantilly, Ascot, Santa Anita, Gulfstream, Churchill Downs, Keeneland, Saratoga, and Belmont. Most weekends between April and December, Doug could be found at his favourite track of all, Woodbine, watching workouts and races. His crowning achievement was his appointment to Chief Steward of the Jockey Club of Canada. All too often, childhood dreams go unrealized. Not so in Doug’s case. He was recognized for his significant contributions to the industry and dedication to the sport with a Special Sovereign Award having been unanimously chosen by his peers.

Doug was equally proud of his family and talked frequently about their various accomplishments. He loved spending time at the family cottage fishing, boating, gardening, hiking, appreciating nature, and nurturing the land – interests which he passed along to both sons. Doug also loved to travel with his family with many memorable trips to England, France, Italy, Switzerland and the Caribbean. A natural conversationalist, equipped with a great sense of humour, he was a fan favourite at small get-togethers, large gatherings and parties. He loved to laugh, which often took on a life of its own if you were lucky enough to get him going. Doug had an incredible curiosity and capacity to learn. He had encyclopedic knowledge about music, sports, politics, arts, and nature. Those close to Doug knew that he was able to close his eyes and remember details long forgotten by the average person. He was loyal and generous to a fault and led each day with the goal of performing three acts of kindness. He was guided and comforted by five values – Faith, Love, Peace, Hope and Grace.

There is no replacing Doug’s presence. He was truly one-of-a-kind.

The family will have a mass of intention at St. James Cathedral in Toronto and a celebration of life at Woodbine Racetrack. Dates to be determined.

In lieu of flowers, donations are welcome to LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society (Longrunretirement.com)