The Ontario Racing Commission today announced that it has denied an appeal from Rideau Carleton Raceway regarding a $5,000 fine the track was handed due to the racing surface not being suitably prepared for racing

on February 15, 2009.

The ORC panel’s reasons for decision included the following:

• i) RC was in violation of SB 7.05 on February 5, 2009;
• ii) Track superintendent, Jeff Taylor, violated SB 5.11 by not providing regular reports to the Judges as requested;
• iii) The evidence is clear, cogent and compelling that on February 5, 2009, the racing surface at RC was not ‘suitably prepared for racing’ as per SB 7.05. The onus rests solely on RC to have its track ‘race ready’ and it is up to track management to ensure that it has taken the appropriate steps for this to occur.

The panel made the following orders:

• a) Rideau Carleton’s Racetrack Surface Committee must meet weekly;
• b) At each meeting, a senior management from the track must attend, along with the track superintendent and a senior representative from the NCRHHA;
• c) Minutes from each meeting must be kept and provided to the Senior ORC Judge weekly;
• d) This procedure must be adhered to until such time as the Senior Judge determines a schedule change is warranted.

The panel’s reasons for decision can be read in the ruling, which appears in its entirety here.

(With files from the ORC)