Having read all comments over and over, I must add my 2 cents.

First of all, I am only speaking from a bettor's perspective(35 years worth) having never owned or trained a SB, which I prefer over a jockey ridden athlete.

Quite a few people have said "I will never bet again or without betting there will be no racing". I must disagree with the latter. At one time purse money was mainly generated from the gambling dollar. With the invent of slots, the track owner and horse people are getting their fair share from that venue. Ever been to a "b" track or seen what their handle is? There is no way 10 or so years ago a 5k claimer would be racing for $4500, more like 600 to 900 range. I'm not sure they need the bettor or this rule may have been amended immediately after Trevor's unfortunate incident. I agree with the rule, just not the punishment to the owners or bettors. Maybe horse racing will be like the Olympics in the future, no betting allowed!

As a bettor, and probably most other bettors, we have either won or lost when a horse is placed. I have won when another horse has been placed back and I have lost a plenty also when my horse was placed back. My worst nightmare was many moons ago, long before simulcasting. I drove from Sarnia to Windsor to bet Southgate Pride/Robert Taylor, up against JW Barbara/Bill Gale, who was the heavy favourite. SP won but the 'Enquiry" sign lit up and my tickets ended up in the garbage. It was alleged that the horse I bet(win and exactor only) interfered with the favourite. Mr Taylor appealed and won, but I as a bettor still lost. It took me awhile to go the track again as I always thought the judges must have held a JW Barbara winning ticket. I did not see any blatant interference, but the judges at the track thought they did. We didn't have the internet back then to vent our frustrations.(Mr. Adler, you remember that night?)

I have a far fetched suggestion, I doubt if the ORC will use it though.

How many times have we heard "hold all tickets". Well, when a horse is placed, that's exactly what we will do, until the appeal process is over. It would take a lot of cooperation from all sides, the tote people would have to be involved and the race would not be made official until the appeal is completed. I can only speak for myself, but think about it fellow punters. Could you wait a few days, weeks or months if you knew your ticket might still be valid. If no appeal is lodged, the race could be made official soon after as I don't know how long owners have to lodge an appeal. The ORC has the power to expedite the whole process also. BOTTOM LINE, THE BETTOR SHOULD BE HAPPIER.

Thanks for your time

Mistakes happen,but.............what about the bettor.

Frankly I am dismayed and agitated at the placement of Angostura. Fine Ritchie but don't penalize the betting public(Me). I won my bet on the race but when it was time to cash my ticket the ORC stole my winnings from me. I have been betting the horses for over 30 years and this incident ticked me off more than anything has in years. ORC -wake up and smell the coffee. I bet the races 2 to 3 times a week. My goal is to have some fun and make a few bucks. Warning to the ORC, if you do not amend this rule so it seriously protects the horses and treats the betting public fairly, you will lose me any many other loyal patrons. One more experience like this and I am finished with horse racing for ever.

What in the world is the ORC thinking? Truth be told, I, a fairly close follower of the harness racing scene, was not aware that disqualification was the result of violation of the whipping rule...(my bad)! But having relied on common sense all my life, it just did not even enter my mind that the "penalty" would have to be paid by the betting public. Is driving away fans what the goal is here? Fine the driver, fine him again and suspend him, take away the purse money from the owner, ANYTHING but dip into the bettors pockets!!

I, as an owner am totally against the new whipping rule, I would be very upset if one of my horses was disqualified because of a drivers' mistake. I have several horses racing now at Mohawk and Woodbine. Why should the owner and trainer be penalized for a mistake made by a driver? I have talked to many people about this new rule, and they are also against it and have commented that they will be betting a lot less on the standardbreds or not at all. I have been an owner for 22 years and have never witnessed exessive whipping. I understand it does happen, but the judges should be only penalizing just the very few drivers who use excess force or abuse the horses. I would like to continue to see the industry grow and prosper as this industry employs a lot of people, but may lose a lot of bettors because of these new rules, and as you know without the bettors, there is no racing.

As an owner, I find this new rule to be completely unfair to the owners. Why should the owners be penelized when it's the drivers'mistake? The driver's end up losing only 5% of the purse, whereas the owners could end up losing potential thousands?

As for the RULES;

The Judges just need to enforce the rules that were already on the books...Why all of sudden do they need to make things worse, when they already had the "power" to enforce the rules all along....To me, they are admitting that they (the judges), didn't do their recpective duties, in all this time, before the rules changes....

Shame on them, they are the "real culprits" here (for not doing the job they were paid to do, in all these years), and not the drivers who work their craft in a professional manner, whether driving one handed or not....

I, along with most bettors with compassion and common sense, "abhor" the abuse of the whip....But for me, as well as many others who are serious about the safety of their wagers, just don't see the "2-handed rule at all times", as being a change for the better....I will stand by that opinion, and will have to see much more before I invest another dime in Ontario-Harness...

How about the T-breds at Woodbine, are they abandoning the use of the whips there ?....If not, how can that be fair for racing and it's fans ?....The jockeys ride one handed all the time, even if only to get their mounts to change leads in the lane...Driving harness horses, "one handed", is just not that dangerous, imo....

For the blatant horse abusers; they should be severely punished or banished altoghether, for their inhumanity to the horses....simple...

no surprise with the decision, most knew this was coming. These new rules will continue to be debated and hopefully modified. We need to protect the horses while also protecting the drivers and the industry. We can't push the long time bettors out the door in "hopes" of attracting new people to the sport. We can't put our talented drivers in a dangerous position either. Owners can't bare the brunt of these fines, 15k plus a shot at 250k for the owners of Angostura is just wrong!
For the few people that did write in and said that the rules are black and white, I agree "but" that is the only thing that is black and white. There is a lot of emotion in this sport and a lot of people pour their heart,soul and money into these horses that they own and train. I don't think we should ever lose focus of these people before putting something down in black and white. I think the system failed a couple of the good guys this time and they will be left watching and wondering on Sunday night like the rest of us. Good luck to Angostura on the remainder of her season.

This rule the way it is currently written has absolutely NOTHING to do whether a horse is treated inhumnely or not, and it was proven quite clearly Monday night. This entire whipping controversy over the last few years always preaches the welfare of the horse. So why isn't the condition of the horse after the race taken into consideration? What did the ORC vet have to say about the condition of Trevor's horse after the race? Shouldn't the penalty be based on fact and not perception? If Trevor's horse showed no signs of inhumane treatment, how can you justify any penalty? Everyone keeps referring to public perception about whipping, well, no wonder. In all the years that I have attended races both live and at simulcast, I have NEVER heard it announced after a race that driver "so and so" was in violation of a whipping rule, and will be fined and/or suspended. Only if you read the SC fines and suspensions, or maybe, just maybe, next weeks program (only a few tracks print them), can you find out if someone is fined for whipping. If a driver is disqualified for interference, judges explain, inside the pylons, judges explain, unfair start, judges explain, whipping violation, no explanation, and the casual visitor, along with quite a few regulars, goes home disgusted by what they saw. The casual visitor has been kept in the dark for years about what is being done with whipping violations. It is time to educate the public that, when used properly, the whip is a necessary tool in the racing of horses. And also explain when there are violations, and for what reason drivers are facing disciplinary action. And have the ORC vet check the horse in question, and relay his findings to the judges, who can then explain to the public exactly what is happening. Start giving your customers a little bit of credit, they deserve it.
What would I do with whipping violations?
1. The judges announce after the race that driver "so and so" has been called in for a possible whipping violation and his horse will be checked by the ORC vet.
2. The judges post the official finish and payoffs as this violation has no effect on wagering or the owners. 3. The judges talk to the driver, the vet, and review the tape of the race, and make a decision.
4. The judges inform the public of their decision, their reasonings, and the condition of the horse. If the driver is fined and/or suspended, tell the public. If not, tell the public.

And finally, I hope to see Angostura in the Peaceful Way on Sunday night, she deserves it.

My question is why didn't these "rule makers" survey all their customers? How difficult would it have been to develop a survey, hand them out in all the teletheatres and ORC tracks, and then reward those that return their survey with a $2 betting voucher? We could have avoided this whole fiasco. As usual though, it's aways a few politicians that seem to think they know what's best for the people. By reading all the feedback below, it's clear to see that the rambifications of what just happened may never be reversed. Pretty soon, the sport will have to reach up just to grab bottom. It's sad to see but a reality. I have been a bettor for 20 years and this was definately the final nail for me. It's too bad the few people left to witness harness racing in the future will never experience how great the sport once was.

Trevor,

In 1957 Bill Shoemaker pulled up Gallant man 1/16th of a mile early because he was unfamiliar with Churchill Downs odd layout. Mistakes happen in new and unfamiliar environments.

You'd have my vote for the HOF.

I sincerely hope for you and all the connections that the ORC overrules the judges and let the mare go this weekend.

the rule is plain.
Trevor made a costly mistake,
maybe a brain cramp, who knows?
The judges had no choice, the rule is expicit.
Like it or not the rule is there
and every driver now knows the consequences.

Writing new rules or legislation is a very difficult task because when well done the rule will apply a fair outcome in any possible scenario. Governments in Canada hasve the legal system to test the fairness of all legislation written. Many new laws go through many revisions imposed by the rulings of the courts.

According to Jack Darling's blog the intent of the rule was to prevent "one handed slashing" or inhumane whipping of a horse by a driver. He should know he was on the committee that gave feedback in the creation of the rule.

Whether you are for this rule or against it I don't believe anybody can describe Trevor's action as a one handed slashing or inhumane. As it is currently written the rule says Trevors one handed tippy tap is cause for a disqualification but a two handed brutalization of a horse is ok. What stops a driver from putting the handholds at the end of the lines to give him plenty of slack to wind up on a horse yet keeping the lines in two handed?

If mistreatment of the horse is the real impetus behind this rule then the ORC should overrule the decision against Angostura and address the verbiage of the rule to prevent this kind of controversy in the future. They have tried to take a shortcut to their goal of more humane treatment of the horse.

I believe what needs to be done is to clearly define what constitutes inhumane use of the whip and then penalize those who cross that line. A blanket statement of keeping the lines in two hands does not achieve their goal of more humane use of the whip.

There is no failure in going back and revising the rule, it happens all the time with all manner of laws because it is impossible to imagine every possibility at the time the rule is originally written.

What happened in this race was unfortunate but the rule was in place and the ORC had no choice but to enforce what is a very good rule. What right thinking person wouldn't be horrified if we seen a dog or a cat being hit with a whip, they cannot speak out for themselves and neither can the horses that at times get abused in a race.

It is refreshing to see an industry leader such as Jack Darling take a stand on this issue when he knows so many of his peers are against this rule, i applaud him for this.

Judge vs. Dictate.
Its terrific to see all the comments posted on this site regarding the Ritchie/Angostura situation.
We've heard from fans, trainers, drivers. Jack Darling's response was compelling.

Let's recap: A)The rule was put in place to protect the horse and improve the sport's image.
B) The placing penalty was established to enforce the rule.

In theory, the industry was progressing, until Monday night's second race at Mohawk.

Today, the Judges have a fantastic opportunity to consider the arguments from both sides, and tweak the Whipping Rule:
1) "Strike" vs. "Tap".
2) Two hands vs. One Hand.
To the Appeal panel: Do the right thing: let Angostura race. Amend the rule to allow Judges to judge, not dictate.

The individual that thought of this great rule should have enough time on his or her hands to sit down and explain to the owners trainers and betting public on just how this rule will help this industry.

I cant believe the ORC. I've been betting for 30 years almost every night ,but they got my last dollar when you stole my triactor from me , this is a license to steal money from the betting public ,give your heads a shake trevor never did hurt the horse but the ORC has hurt the industry it says its trying to help the judges should be embarassed, will weg refund the bettors money? i doubt it very much.

Once again ontario harness racing has become a laughing stock and joke ,i hope the judges use common sense or you will see a major drop in the handle, and so it should cuz its all about dollars and cents. Without the bettors you have no racing the ORC has really dropped the ball on this one to satisfy phantom bettors who dont exist or even contribute a single dollar to this industry , what a joke

Why doesn't the ORC worry about the cheaters more and leave the good guys like Trevor alone.
This is a ridiculous rule and as the monkey with the long tail said in the room full of rocking chairs ..it won't be long now ...before our industry is toast...the owners and betters gone
I'm not saying we don't need rules ,but this one?
Seems to me the last good thing the ORC did was deny Jim W's appeal.
now that was a sensible ruling

What a joke. I was at race book in coquitlam when i witnessed this race what i saw was a great drive less new rules. WEG lost alot of $2 bettors here because of of the placement... why did we get punished? why are we throwing our winning tickets in garbage? who is paying the bills there? cant you figure it out..

or will you wait til you destoyed this great sport.. ha ha where are all these new bettors just going to come from ?? most people who run business would tend do take care of what they have ,not what they dont have. Ive been around long enough to know when enough is enough. wake up your screwing this up. racing was the best 10 years ago .how did we get here cant stand to go forward ... look up the meaning of racing and this new rule is not racing .. give the owners at least there money back..

This rule was put in place to protect the horses and also weg and the orc from public perception. The rule was never intended to change the professional drives like Trevor Ritchie, Steve Condren, John Campbell and slews of other horsemen who respect the animals, owners and trainers whos liveliehood are at stake. There are a few drivers who this rule was intended for. This rule was brought into effect for a few overzealous drivers who would try to win at any cost. Kicking these horses will be the new flavor of the month which has been going on for years now but the bettors seem to be the only ones who notice. Dan Creighton and Danterra the owners will pay a very heavy price for a rule that was brought in for others with less respect.Rules are rules and if certain other drivers got this penalty I guarentee you the outcry would be miniscule. Good luck with your appeal.

The placing is very unfortunate and I feel bad for Mr. Ritchie and worse for the owners. The drivers are well aware of the rule and if it were not for a certain few this rule would not have been spawned in the first place. If the fines in the previous rules were stiffer say suspension of 60 days instead of a fine for first offence deemed excessive by the judges and if they were enforced in a zealous manner we would not be here where we are today. The new rule is clear and as with any rule the horse gets set back.

Does it seem more dangerous on the track these days? I have seen some drivers being able to hit their horse just as hard with both hands in the hand holds, of course stopping and steering are out of the question. Drivers will do what it takes to win, that's what they get paid to do but when they start to get dangerous about it, the others drivers should step up and speak out as it is their safety involved too.

Personally, I kinda like the three hit down the stretch rule. The owners and fans get a fair shot, it doesn't look as bad to the fans and enforce the old rules as mentioned and if the hands are out of the handholds for more than an eight of a mile it is an infraction also, sounds good to me, anybody else?????

That was perhaps the worst ruling in the history of harness racing. This rule was implemented to discourage drivers from excessively whipping their horses, yet all I saw Trevor Ritchie do was tap his horse.

If this rule continues to be enforced, then why not just penalize the driver? Why do the bettors, trainers, and owners get punished for a driver's mistake where there is no advantage gained, like other disqualifications where a driver goes inside too many pylons, or interferes with other horses.

Angostura won that race fair and square, and it was absolutely appalling to disqualify that filly's great performance.

This isn't rocket science. Angostura should have won that race, and then the racing commission could have decided what fine and penalty to give Trevor Ritchie. It is no exaggeration to say that it boggles the mind to try to understand why such a severe placing to last was warranted in that race. This horse absolutely deserved to stand as the winner, and if need be, then deal with the driver after with any sanction that the racing commission sees fit.

would like to Thank Trevor for his comments..He hit the nail on the head. Maybe the judges should look at how some of the drivers give up safety for urging while they have a rein in each hand. It looks like they are certainly off their medication with all their movements and at the same time exposing the horses and drivers to severe harm...Let's start using your head SC. Protect the people that make this sport great...If the driver does not adhere to the rule...A stiff fine and greater suspension...Don't punish the owner !!

Common sense should have ruled here BUT the judges had Blind bridles on!!!

wow.where are we going with this new set of urging rules?will this lead to only the drivers being horse owners as they could be controlling the whole sport?

the protection of the horse is something that needed addressed but there were rules in place that were not being enforced and training of officials and supervision of same could have corrected what has led to this new rule.our drivers are as qualified and as professional as any jurisdiction .most care and depend on the horse for their livelyhood and if not liking the horse would have chosen another occupation.

was this race used as the flogging point or was it another way to put the final nail in our coffin.We need good owners,good trainers ,good drivers and common sence from the orc,
judging,and race tracks to keep this sport above water in tough economic times with other venues (slots,lottos,bingo,offshore products)eroding the entertaiment dollar.
the ruling on this will determine my attendance at future yearling sales as well as others (owners and punters) who sit in the grandstand on a nightly basis.

I hope to see ritchie/creighton and the wonderful ontario sired filly in the race saturday named after another oss grad.

Jamie Martin's comments in the Guelph Mercury " said some betting customers are upset about Angostura being disqualified. Some have vowed on industry websites never to bet at Mohawk again.

“I’m obviously disappointed in that, but the reality is, when you separate the sport from the gambling side of it, there’s a decision once a week that causes customers angst,” Martin said. “All I can ask is that we get consistency from the officials and they gave us that.”", explain why things are the way they are in this situation tight now. Sir, how do you manage to seperate out the gambling side out from the sport? You get paid by the people that wager on your races at your track either in person or via teletheater.

Maybe I need a reality check here but I guess I need you to explain how YOU seperate out the gambling side of this. AS I see it, no gambling no racing, no racing no WEG.
Please enlighten me!

Thank You Standardbred Canada for having a place where people are able to voice there opinions. I flipped back into your archives for when this rule was about to be put into motion. Many people that posted comments at that time had a real concern how this rule was going to effect (betters,owners,trainers and the industry). No body disputed that protecting horses was a bad idea! So this being said, the placing of Angostura can come as no shock to anyone that follows the Standardbred Circut. This was inevitable, it was only a matter of time. It is a shame that two of the classier guys in the business are front and centre (Ritchie/Creighton). I am hoping that the powers to be will do the right thing and "judge" this on the spirit of the rule and allow the Peaceful Way event to go off as the great race it is. Is there any true race fans out there that don't want to see a re-match between Angostura and Costa Rica?

After two years "pump pump two two" and 50,000.00$ of fines to the ORC the rule was changed.Holding lines in two hands and urging horse as all drivers know is very unsefe
and races are very dull.I know the rule applys to everyone but as we all know two wrongs
do not make right. I hope ORC after carfull study correct's the new rull back to the old rulle of two years.It is not inhuman to make a mistake.SHOW THE LEADERSHIP ORC!
Darko Vukovic

If you are going to make a rule against whipping with the lines in both hands instead of in one hand only, now you are not only endangering the horses, whom are being supposedly abused by whippping, you are also endangering the drivers who have less control of their horses coming down the stretch. If you have ever raced a horse before, which im sure none of these judges whom instated this dumb rule have....whipping your horse with both hands in the reins is extremely dangerous because the reins are now flapping around instead of tight in one hand. Does this make sense!!!! Lets worry about less agressive whipping....but endanger both the drivers and horses!!!!! If whipping is the real issue here, just abolish it completely. What's the difference, the horse is getting WHIPPED ANYWAYS!!!!!!

I would like to hear some on the drivers comments because i'm sure they are fuming over this issue. Come on Rick Zeron, you have always been vocal, we want to hear what you have to say. I love watching Rick drive his horses down the stretch...takes talent to get some of these horses home!!!!

What is going to happen when we get some of these young star drivers coming to Canada to drive??? You actually think they are going to like this rule!!! Wake up people you are going to ruin horseracing in Canada once and for all!!!!

I say PEOPLE WHOM ARE NOT IN FAVOR OF THIS RULE SHOULD IMMEDIATELY STOP BETTING ON CANADIAN TRACKS UNLESS THIS RULE IS CHANGED. THIS COULD RESULT IN LESS MONEY FOR THE ORC AND THEY WILL HAVE TO RECONSIDER THIS DUMB WHIPPING RULE!!!!!

I've been reading the comments and can clearly see ORC missed the boat again!!What do we pay the judges for if they can't see when somebody is abuseing a horse in todays raceing world we have great vidoes camera angles technology in general.If somebody is abuseing a horse let the judges give the person the proper penalty i think the people that thook a year to come up with this rule really should have come up with stiffer penaltys for the people doing the abuse!!I've watched harness racing my whole life and if you had more drivers like Trevor Richter you would'nt even be looking at this rule he's pure class!!If i had that horse bet that night i would have felt like somebody robbed me outside!!

Dave Hudson; I agree with your post 100%. I too believe Ritchie had no malicious intent to undermind the rules to score the win. Yes, in order for rules to be effective, the ORC must observe and enforce them throughout, and drivers must know them, but the ORC must also fit the punishment to the crime, whether it be a $30,000 stakes race, or a $3,000 claiming race. However, in this particular case, Angostura should have absolutely retained her win and only the driver be fined.

After reading the comments regarding the urging rule, most of which are from the most important people in harness racing, our customers. It would seem those responsible for promoting and implementing the new urging rule had little or no knowledge of the impact of this rule would be on the betting public. The last time I checked the gambling dollar is what makes this whole sport feasible. It's very important to revert to the former rules regarding urging before we lose more customers.

Brendan Kelly, please elaborate how we are the laughing stock of the rest of the racing world, if all of Europe and several U.S. states already have this EXACT SAME rule in place?

Since this new rule came into place for the most part it looks to me that the drivers are not trying .

In this instance I made a list of who this race hurt the most...

1. The Owners (the people paying the Bills)
2. The Bettors (the people who are paying for the purses)
3. The Trainer
4. The Driver
5. The Groom
6. The Judges (to a certain extent)
7. WEG
8. The ORC
Now I made a list of who got hurt the least in this Ruling...

1. THE HORSE (ANGOSTURA)

It is hard to believe that all the experts involved (that took a year to come up with this brain wave) could not see this scenario happening.

The ORC should rule quickly in favor on this one and take this stupid rule back to the drawing board.

ANGOSTURA---- What is the commission possibly thinking?

The penalty for this infraction is absolutely beyond belief. It is embarassing to the ORC that they would implement this type of penalty on this infraction of the New Rule.

I do not have a problem with the intent of the rule but the penalty to the trainer/ownership is ridiculous. The "infraction" on Monday evening in this particular race does not warrant a disqualification. The ORC should allow the judges to judge each violation of this new rule.

The word "strike" is in your rule. This particular incident was not a "strike" which is very obvious in the tapes. Trevor Ritchie should receive some fine for the violation. Horse/trainer/ownership receiving disqualification-----absolutely ridiculous. It is obvious that the violation in this race had zero affect on the outcome of the race. There was not a "strike" to the horse---- tap yes, strike no. The judges should be able to use their discretion as in most other rulings. Let them judge as they are paid to do. Take in account what they saw and the professional driver involved.

I can assure you that Trevor Ritchie and Dan Creighton go to the extreme to protect the horses. That is fact. The spirit of this rule and why it was implemented has been
violated with the penalty invoked on the trainer/ownership. Fine Trevor Ritchie for sure and keep in mind the "tap" not the strike. Penalize the trainer and ownership which has no control over the drive---- ridiculous and embarassing to the ORC and racing fans.

The ORC should admit a fault in their rule and correct this now. Let this filly (Angostura) show her talents on Sunday. She deserved it and would show the racing world that the governing body will admit to errors in "judgement" and impelemtation of rules as they were intended to be designed.

I will also suggest that "talking to a few patrons" is not exactly a vote of confidence in light of the response we see on the website. Let the judges use discretion and make a sensible decision. Setting each violation with the same penalty makes no sense. Once again common sense needs to over turn this decision.

We are certainly aware of the reason for the rule but to think that this was in any form abusive is ludicrous. Look at Mr. Ritchie's history and reputation in this business. He made a mistake out of a habit of 25 plus years of racing. It was not even close to being a "STRIKE" and should be taken in account with the decision being appealed.

Hopefully the ORC will step up and show the racing community that they do make errors and allow a talented filly be part of the excitement this weekend. The trainer and ownership deserve this.

Would someone please tell me what the difference is between Trevor Ritchie and Wayne MacLean? Mr. MacLean was fined $200 for not having the lines in each hand and a whopping 2 day driving suspension and he finished second in the 8th.race Sept.9 at Sudbury.I am sure he didn't have the lines in one hand just to scratch his nose. I am sure he was urging his horse on with the whip. If he was doing the same as Ritchie then maybe every driver should head to Sudbury the rules make more sense there than at WEG tracks.

Powers that be??? Let's act quickly here! Absolutely should the owner or trainer not pay for driver error regarding whip violations! In this situation, driver gets the maximum penalty, $500 and 15 days or if greater, his driver earnings.(in this instance $750) This serves as a strong enough deterrent to the driver!
The drive on the trotter in a later race, on the same night in question, by a different driver certainly looked much worse to the public than did the drive on Angostura!
Let's act quickly, and correct this injustice!!

I understand rules are put in place for a reason.

But the owners seem to be the ones that are doing an awful lot of paying for the mistakes of a professional driver. The owners are the ones that have alot of time and money invested -- buy the horse, pay training bills and go to the races to watch their horse perform.

The driver sits on the bike for 10 minutes. Its their job to know the rules.
Maybe if the driver was to loose their 5% if they finish in the top five and a fine if they finished out of the money. Something to think about.

It truly amazes me how much complaining is being done by people about the decision on Monday night. First off, the rule has been amply explalined to all drivers and if they don't get it they chose not to. Secondly, sit in the grandstand and if you can find anybody there, talk to non horsepeople and they will tell you how much they dislike horses being whipped. People are walking away from our industry in droves yet anytime changes are made, horsepeople whine and complain about the change. For true change to take place the owners must be the people most affected. They must feel the pinch in their pocketbooks. If a driver messes up and interferes with another horse and is set back then the owner loses the purse money. This isn't any different. When the owners ( the people paying the bills) are most affected then change for the better will happen. The whipping rule is a good one and if you don't think so again talk to people outside the industry and you will get a different picture. How much has changed since drivers were just fined for excessive whipping? Not much! How many time have we heard owners say "oh I will pay your fine, don't worry about it"? Hang in there ORC, you must be doing something right because people are paying attention.

Well I see that the new rule will effectivley cost Trevor Ritchie less than Danterra Racing/Dan Creighton and probably a number of patrons whom had purchased winning tickets before being placed back. I think that I may now take my gambling moneies to the casino where at least the guy throwing the dice at the crap game can try his hardest without a penalty to the other involved.

ill bet you trevor wont do it again?the rule is horrible, but it is in black and white..no judgement calls by the orc mice to be had...should not be an appeal allowed..no reason for it.

This whipping rule is the worst thing that has happened to the racing game in the last 40 years. It has totally changed the nature of the racing game. Gone is the excitement of the stretch drive. Drivers look passive, tentative, and indecisive in the most important part of the race the stretch drive to the finish line. Horses in the top 4 positions at the head of the stretch win Eighty percent of races. Moreover, closers can never get into the mile as driver's are too tentative to mount a sustained stretch drive.

In just 2 weeks the racing product has become boring, predictable, sterile and lost all its excitement. Ultimately, the product has been ruined in the name of political correctness in satisfying a bunch of well organized animal rights activists and their sympathizers who contribute zero dollars to the betting handle and couldn't care less about its appeal to the betting public. Judging by the comments running 9 to 1 against the rule the betting public is just outraged by all facets of the whipping rule.

I have a suggestion for you.

Let's put the judges close to the fans if they really want to see how people feel about these rediculous decisions that they make if they are "the referees" of the sport, as was suggested. The fact is that these rules ARE NOT black and white;I wish that they were, so these decisions would not be so contreversial.We need more objectivity, not subjectivity, (just ask the sport of figure skating).As I understand it, Judges always have the prerogative to do "what is in the best interest of racing"

The fact is,that had this horse not been disqualified there would have been very little, if any protesting from the punters (sometimes referred to as suckers)in the grandstand and teletheatres. Trevor Ritchie did not break the "spirit" of the rule, and that is what should really count.

This is a very unfortunate situation facing Trevor, and the connections of Angostura. The drive was well timed out, and free of indiscriminate, excessive, or blatant whip use. It is a prime example of how a driver being able to cross the lines into one hand was not the problem. The problem was drivers pressing the limits of the previous rules, and not being dealt with accordingly.

Since the induction of the new rules, I've seen more careless and reckless driving than ever before. Arms flailing, lines loose, as drivers try to stay in the imaginary box.

I truly feel for everyone involved with Angostura, but hopefully this is what it will take for the rule to be revisited for the good of the horse, the sport, and all of it's participants.

One more insight of an industry bent on committing hari-kari. Not only have we managed to alienate even more of the betting public in North America but we have also managed to become the laughing stock of horseracing jurisdictions around the world.
Most participants in racing are aware of the new rules as they apply to urging. The rules are a none-too-soon endeavour to protect horses against brutal and indiscriminate use of the whip. Brutality, in any way, shape or form, did not come into play during the race in question. To deal out a penalty of such magnitude, in this particular case, is nothing short of ludicrous. Why is good old common sense thrown out the window at times such as this ?

This is a very sad moment in harness racing however, inevitable with the way the current rules are written.
The intent of the rule was to correct the public's perception regarding the abuse of horses in racing however in this case no one watching this race can possibly conceive that the horse was being abused in any manner. The question is not the violation, it is the penalty and who is impacted the most. The bettor/owner and trainer are most severely impacted by this. The bettor by losing his bet, the owner/trainer by losing the potential purse earnings.
The premise on which these new rules were instigated was in the hope that we could attract new customers. In the process we have alienated some of the best customers we currently have. It seems apparent from reading the comments that many patrons and gamblers are disgusted by this decision, some of whom have said will never watch or bet on another harness horse race. Is it realistic to think that this ruling is going to attract enough new customers to replace those we've lost. I don't think so.
I find it very ironic that Trevor Ritchie, who I've known and respected for many years, would get charged with a rule that was made to protect horses from abuse. They've implemented a whipping rule to attract new customers and they've nailed a person who I respect for being one of the finest horsemen I've ever known and would never abuse a horse. Obviously this new rule is flawed and needs to be revisited.
In a perfect world Angostura would go to the gate in the Peaceful Way final but unfortunately we know that will not happen but at least lets get the proper rules in place so it won't happen again.

I like many others, support rules that protect horses from abuse and that make racing safer. However, the penalty for taking the lines in one hand in order to whip the horse with the other is totally misguided. If you are caught speeding 20 kilomeyres per hour over the limit there is a specific fine for that no matter what highway you are driving on. But this whipping infraction may be a $2000 or $3000 infraction at Flamboro or Dresden and a $15,000 or perhaps $200,000 infraction at WEG. Do these horses and drivers deserve greater protection? The penalty should be a stiff suspension( perhaps
30 days ) for the driver. The present ruling could be compared to the N.H.L. where if a player initiates a head shot at another player the offending player gets a one game suspension as does the coach. But the team automatically loses the game and the owner of the team gets fined $ 1,000,000. Rod Seiling should see this would not be satisfactory with the participants or the fans. It could also be compared to a teacher hitting a student. We could take a day's pay from the teacher and the department leader but fine the school principal $ 50,000. The punishment for the crime makes little or no sense.

The penalty for a driver that cuts or severely welts a horse with the whip is a $500 fine and 15 day suspension. The horse MAY be placed if there is interference or blatant disregard of the rules. If a driver does what Trevor did, put both lines in one hand and tap the horse with the whip, he is placed last. So a panel of so-called knowledgable horsepeople discussed this for a year and this is the best they could come up with? Wasn't the welfare of the horse supposed to be the focus? Ask any person that has attended a horse race in the last 50 years what Trevor did wrong, and the answer would be "Nothing". The rule is wrong, not Trevor's drive, plain and simple. What happened to the good old days when the horses decided the outcome of a race? Good luck to all involved with your appeal, maybe common sense will prevail, but I doubt it.

Go ahead - shaft the two most important people in our industry. The ones investing their own "outside money" "RULE MAKERS" - wake up before you cost thousands and thousands of people their livelihood - oh ya and yours too. CLUE IN!!

In a rush to be politically correct, the ORC has introduced a reasonable rule, but a ridiculous penalty. Only the driver should be penalized.

Fix this stupid rule before it's too late!! If you must have it fine the driver only.
To penalize the owner or bettor is going to cost us big time. We need both or the downward spiral of this sport will just pick up speed. If I had made a sizable bet on
that horse I would probably quit betting.

The rules been in effect since September 1st, 09. All drivers at WEG were brought in and instucted on what they can do and NOT do, complete with videos and told what the ramifications were.
If the judges did not act on this then we would have 100 different interpretations of the whipping rule. They are black & white.
B.t.w. this is not the first time that an owner or trainer is victimized by the actions or non actions of a driver, although this one is much more visible.

I don't agree with drivers "carving" on horses, however whip tapping is not abusive and some horses need a friendly reminder to stay the course. Clearly this rule needs to be refined and amended. The fact that Trevor held the lines in one hand should have no bearing on this disqualification. Finally, I wonder how the bettors felt having their horse set back.

I love the sport of Harness racing and have for many years, however this ruling is harsh beyond belief.
Why should the owner of this horse suffer in any way, not only did he lose $15,000 last night but also a chance @ the huge final next week.
It is hard enough keeping good owners in this business let alone trying to lure new ones in.
Perhaps Trevor should have to forfeit his 5% and the horse should remain 1st in my opinion.

I think this was a very unfortunate incident and I feel very badly for my good friend Dan Creigton and all the connections of this fine filly. As far as the rule is concerned where the offending horse and driver are placed last, believe me, I can understand the opinions on both sides. I am an owner and trainer myself so I was a little nervous about the rule, but in the end, the commission, after careful consideration decided on this rule so that is what we must abide by. The rule is very clear - if a driver puts the lines in one hand and strikes the horse with the whip, he is disqualified and placed last. One handed whipping is illegal. This is very serious business and the drivers must ensure that they don't whip one handed. The judges and the ORC have gone to great lengths to educate the drivers on these new rules and I don't think there is any question that the drivers know what is required. I hope that this is the last time that this happens, but it is always possible that it could happen again. As the weeks and months pass, it will be more and more unlikey to happen as the drivers get used to the new style of driving, and hitting one handed becomes foreign to them.
I have a concern with another race later on in the same card. One driver, even though he had a line in each hand, laid a brutal beating on a horse down the stretch. I heard that he was called up by the judges but I don't know for sure at this point. The horse won by a nose. The driver that was second drove his horse according to the rules and looked very professional. This is not fair to the other drivers, trainers, and owners when one driver blatantly over uses the whip to get an advantage. I hope the judges put an end to that kind of nonsense right away.

I too believe this rule was implemented, as a previous poster said, to prevent injury to the horse, as well as public perception, but Angostura (Danterra) should not have lost her (their) win, the driver should receive a fine. I've seen way more unforgivable infractions happening at racetracks, that are not given a second look. Angostura was the best filly in that race, period. Ritchie could have hand driven her to the wire if he wanted too, she showed absolutely no signs of being in distress. It wasn't just a DQ for Danterra and Angostura, but a DQ for the entire industry and it's fans.

I hope the powers that be are reading the comments on this topic and do something to correct the problem with this ruling. It seems 90% of the people are not in favour of this ruling last nite . ORC do something now and modify this rule if not get rid of it all together and INFORCE the rules that already were in place. Hire a judge to watch specifically for abuse of the whip with the old rules in place! Give stiffer punishments to the old rule. First offence 2,500$ and double the fine every time after a driver is convicted of the offence. I bet they wont be beating on "dead hores" if the old rules were inforced and fined the drivers accordingly! Both hands in the hand holds was supposed to be safer for the drivers as well?? Are u kidding me? Check these poor guys out trying to urge their horses home with the new rule in place, it's ridiculous and dangerous!

THIS RULE STINKS WORSE THAN A SKUNK ON A HOT MUGGY NIGHT IN TORONTO. I AGREE ABOUT EXCESSIVE WHIPPING OF THE HORSE WHO IS GOING NOWHERE BUT THERE ARE SOME WHO NEED A LITTLE WAKE UP CALL TO GET THEIR ATTENTION.MOST TIMES IT IS THE SADDLE CLOTH,THE SHAVES OR THE BIKE WHEEL WHO GETS HIT TO MAKE A NOISE TO SCARE THEM ON WARD.I REALLY CAN'T GET OVER SHAKING THE REINS AT THE HORSES THAT I SEE ,NO CONTROL OVER THE HORSE WHAT SO EVER. THE OLD TIMERS WOULD ROLL OVER IN THE GRAVES, IF THEY SAW ONE ON THESE RACES TODAY .

I have been watching and wagering on Harness Racing for nearly 47-years, and in those years I have witnessed so many of the Great hall of famers....both horses and drivers alike....

All those great drivers (too numerous to mentions) were "all" profesiional "reinsman" (with the emphasis on "rein")...I have seen so many races that were won by a these great drivers high-lining, and whipping while steering with one hand.....

When I was younger, I was a groom, and even I could drive with one hand down the straightaway, and I was surely not a seasoned professional.....

If there were accidents "aplenty" or even occasioinally coming down the lane, I could possibly understand the "new" 2-hand rule....But that is not the case, and it never was....There is a time and place for one-handed driving, and other than a tiring and drifting horse, it is quite safe to one-line a horse in the homestretch.....

As for abuse of the whip....THIS RULE HAS ALWAYS BEEN ON THE BOOKS...Please just enforce it....

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I wager much money on the WEG circuit,as well as other Ontario venues....But living in the US, allows me other Handicapping and Wagering alternatives, other than Canadian Racing....

As a "BETTOR", I think this "ONE-Line" rule is totally "DUMB"....When I wager, I want and expect my horse to be given the "benefit" of having the best driver(s), and he should be using all his skills and knowledge and talent, to try and get his horse home first.....That includes driving with one hand if need be....Hey, Billy Haughton, and rest of the "great-ones" drove this way, and they did it with complete professionalism, and without having to resort to hurting the horse one bit...

That is my expectation when I wager....No matter where it may be...So from a "Wagering" perspective, I cannot support this "New-rule" and I won't any longer, unless there is a reconsideration of this dumb=rule....

I can understand the ABUSE rules...But this rule is not right....Trevor Ritchie, had a contending horse and won with him, just as he had done thousands times before....and if that were my horse and I had a wager on him, I would be mad as hell, to say the least...
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I know that all of racing, especially Harness Racing, is in dire straights these days, and we all face an uncertain future in that regard.....But this one hander rule is not the answer.....I believe that all the "good and righteous" rules, are and were already in place, I believe that the tracks just have to "enforce" them as intended fromn the get go....The sport is safe enough already.....All you have succeeeded in doing, is to "inflame" whatever fan-base you have left, that is all.....Please repeal the one-hander rule, now....

I am not in favor of abuse in way shape or form....But I sincerely believe that the Ontario Racing Commission is paying too much "LIP SERVICE" to people and/or groups, that have no real interest or stake in the game of Harness=Racing....I have a "stake" I want to wager and win at this game...

There are many just like me, and If you lose us you have nothing.....Do you care Ontario ?...I know you want to attract new fans, but this (one hander rule) is not the way to do it....Abuse abatement, sure...but not this stupid rule...
So, unless I hear more about this....Then you can Count me out of Canadian Harness Racing, for as a "SERIOUS" Bettor, I just cannot support this rule....It will cost me money, now wont't it....And I am not doing this (betting on harness-racing) for the "love of the sport" any longer, as I once did....It's for the kash of it...

I hope you take this comment to heart ORC, I sincerely believe I speak for many, and we are not happy with this rule, at all....

sincerely, Lottakash

I'm in favor of the whipping rule,but I'm not in favor of the penalty,if u want to place the horse last,well then the driver should pay a fine the same price of purse money the owner lost,and bettors refunded their money back.

I would still be interested in Jack Darlings take on this one. Especially if you don't mind Jack put yourself in the place of the Owner / Trainer if you don't mind. SILENCE...

At one time Drivers were fined for not trying. Now Drivers are fined for trying and to add insult to injury lets nail the Trainer and Owners as well.

It seems that everybody but the Judges know what this rule was intended to do.

All the Brains in the Industry took over a year to come up with this rule and this scenario never came up. Unbelievable!!!!

This is the most ridiculous rule ever! Why penalize an owner? I thought the rule was to prevent drivers from whipping and slashing a dead horse in the lane. Angostura was definitely not dead in the lane, and Trevor was not whipping and slashing. Whoever thought up this rule should go back to the drawing board.

A good, sound decision!

If Trevor Ritchie's horse went inside three pylons around the turn, the horse would be placed last. If his horse interfered with the last place finisher just after the start (even if that horse wasn't talented enough to be in the race), he'd be placed last. If Ritchie did anything that caused the horse to break and violate any of a number of rules, he'd be placed last.

Why is this ruling "the worst decision ever"? Drivers mistakes cost owners big purses every day of the year at every track.

In sports, minor rule violations often have a severe cost. NASCAR teams lose hundreds of thousands when their driver goes one mile per hour over the speed limit in the pit area and is penalized any chance of winning the race. Athletes lose four years of training when they false start and disqualify themselves in the Olympics.

As for the bettor - if my horse is coming down the lane and my driver is following the rules and the guy on the outside isn't - you'd better take his number down!!! If I lose my money only to learn Ritchie was fined for breaking the rules... THEN I lose all faith in racing, the judges and the rules.

Talk to me when a driver aggressively one-handing a horse wins by a nose. This can't be a judgment call because it's impossible to know how much effect the whipping had on the result.

its bad rule for the owners what happens if the driver doesn't like the owner he can lose purse money

I have been in the business for 21 years and this had got to be the worst rules they have ever come up with. If they want to stop the excessive whipping instead of taking the whip totally away from the drivers they should give these drivers 3 days off without being able to make money and then the excessiveness will stop,it works in the states why wouldn`t it work here,the penny ante fines they gave them before was nothing to those driving for big purses every night of the week,three days off for first offence and up from there would get their attention quickly.

Penalizing the owner does nothing to help the situation when the owner has no control of what the driver does once he leaves the paddock.This is a bad rule made up by somebody that probably has never had a horse race for any significant purse in their life,like the other guys have said this is going to ruin the business quicker than it will help it,have fun kids.

The ORC will get what they deserve in this! I stated previously that if they instituited this rule that one of the ways that the owners of the horses could show there displeasure was to not bring in outside horses to race under these rules. Now we have had the "Perfect Storm" happen and the owner of the DQ'd horse is paying an immense fine for a stupid rule. This should give even more incentive for top flite horses to "STAY AWAY" from a commission that would have such a rule.

I think that it would be justifiable and perfect if the owners of the DQ'd horse took it to the judges and then to civil court to have this overturned and quite possibly putting the race next week up in the air until it's solved. A court injuction not to hold the final would be justified in this case!!!

thinks the rule is good BUT with a few modifications..
I have NO idea why the owner should be penalized because of something the Driver did wrong.
If you want to impose such a rule ...penalize the Driver with a fine and stiff suspension and trainer with a lighter fine.
Most times the owner goes on what and who the trainer wants to drive their horse.
In this case , the horse in NO way was being hurt or abused. Sometimes common sense is the one most infrequently used.
Not to make it subjective for the judges, but they should have the autonomy to use their own discretion

It has to be one of the worst call i've seen in my life.
Way to drive bettors and owners away from the game.

It's hard enough to make a living in that game as a trainer, why should we get penalize from a driver's error?
And those owner who invest so much on yearling and race horses only to see their profit gone because of a new stupid rule.

I hope they make some change and quickly about that rule, the buisness is already going downhill as it is.

I hope the connections of the filly wins the appeal.

What's your view Jack Darling?????

I still think the driver not the owners should pay the penalty. This sure is a good way to incourage new owners to get involved...NOT..

Why wasn't there a "phasing in period" for these new rules. It is hard enough to try to remember everything. In the heat of battle it is even harder to stop old habits. A certain time frame to caution drivers would seem the fair way to do it to me

The rule is black and white. Good call judges. If this overturned the orc is in big big trouble and opens a big door... What the race is shouldnt matter. Not that i agree with the rule but it applys to EVERYONE!!

Standarbreds are bred to run. This new whipping rule is a disgrace to the sport. All of a sudden after all these years they decide to change the rule. I don't understand why this new rule applies in Canada but not in the U.S. Has anybody noticed that horses have been coming down the stretch more crooked than ever at Mohawk for instance. I think this new rule has made it much more dangerous for the drivers and horses because whipping with both hands in each line results in LESS control over the horse.

If this rule is not eliminated within a month i think many bettors will abandon canadian tracks and only bet on U.S races. Besides the drivers whip the side of the bike or the number pad to create noise so the horse responds and gives their best effort coming for home, it has nothing to do with animal cruelty. Geez wake up people if it had to do with animal cruelty might as well just can the sport as a whole. Stop trying to be different from the U.S, and start looking at the facts before implimenting such ridiculous rules.

I'll continue to enjoy watching the likes of Timmy Tetrick and Jason Bartlett coming down the lane driving like MEN, in a very athletic and professional manner, and miss Jody and co. doing so at Mohawk, and i think many fans will as well. What a shame......

Give this some thought:

You're racing a maiden in hopes of teaching her the ropes, and getting up for a few small shares of the purses before she must faces NW2 and tougher, faster company.....low and behold, the pace slows, a few make breaks, and you are cruising to an unanticipated maiden victory..oh no !

,..no problem, one tap of the whip, one handed, and your still a maiden !

I've been going to harness racing 38 years and that's one of the worst calls i've ever seen.You have to use common sense!!There was CLEARLY no abuse on Trevor's part I agree people who abuse horses should be banned from the sport!!But the judges should be there to protect the owners drivers and bettors!I can see why the bet is continuously dropping!Changing rules that makes sports better for everybody is great!!But if that's the new rule and judges don't use common sense then GOD help our favorite sport it's in bigger trouble then we think!!!

BLIND JUSTICE.

First, I find the ruling ridiculous, laughable, and sad.
My first reaction was anger ( my own selfishness at losing $300.00.)
Then I thought of Danterra Farms...potential loss from not advancing to the Final: a Quarter Million $$ !!..plus $15K purse from the race.

1) its the first month of the rule....fine Trevor $750.00, explain the rule again, etc.
2) re-present it to the drivers, with warnings of how severe a penalty it COULD be if they don't honour it.."you might get eliminated from a big stakes race".......

Also:
Enforcing this rule has opened a huge can of worms....North American Cup ? Breeders Crown at Mohawk ?...get ready for lots of appeals boys.
Finally:
I hope Creighton wins his appeal...after all, Trevor wasn't one handed whipping..he was waving to the crowd as he cruised to victory.

Would it not make more sense to place this horse second as if she was lapped on or something. If the horse was deemed to have an advantage over the horse that eventually finished second.....why is it that he gets placed behind the whole field?? The rule wasn't made for tippy taps..

Its too bad that the rules are written in a way that common sense cannot be applied by the judges to overrule a situation that violated the letter of the law but certainly not the intent. If I saw the incident correctly, I've been hit harder by errant skate laces in a hockey dressing room than what happened to Trevor's horse.

Slightly off topic but I am unable to figure out the application of the new rule in the thoroughbred races that says horses must be allowed to respond to the whip before being struck again. Some Wednesday nights it looks like the jockeys allow about a tenth of a second for a response before flailing again. I'm all for a humane approach in the treatment of any animal but I think we've missed the target on this initiative.

This is completely ridiculus!! I assume the rule was put in place to prevent injury to the horse as well as for public perception. Their has to be some discretion.That is your job as judges, to make that decision. To make a rule that black and white has made the judges job almost non existent.

This was truly unfortunate - Trevor drove well, the filly was gutsy and awesome in fighting back.
The infraction was not serious and not what the rule was intended to address.
I am not at all convinced that the new rules will prevent the abuse of horses, but it is in place and all concerned have to live with it.
Best wishes to the connnections of Angostura - you still have a wonderful filly to race.
Better races ahead!

Yeah i'm sure a lot of patrons understood. How many patrons that lost out on 800$ because of the placing understood? The sport continues to fail the bettors once again. 5 or 10 years time i guess it wont matter anymore. No one will be watching to even get upset with the lamest call i've seen in harness racing in the 25 years i've been watching