Message To Ontario's Horsepeople
In response to the Ontario government’s recent announcement of a provincial lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ontario Racing will continue to monitor the situation closely as it relates to the Standardbred racing industry and its many participants in the province of Ontario.
As outlined by the provincial government, the lockdown (which went into effect as of 12:01 a.m. on December 26) is currently set at 28 days. Purse monies provided for under the Long-Term Funding Agreement assigned to the cancelled racing days will be added to the remaining scheduled racing days once live racing resumes at affected racetracks in mid to late January. Lost racing days will not be rescheduled.
Should the lockdown extend beyond the current timeframe established by the provincial government, Ontario Racing will consult with industry leaders and industry partners on the next steps, including the possibility (pending approvals) of redistributing purse monies from cancelled race days in the form of horseperson support payments, available to eligible Standardbred horsepersons who have horses in active training in Ontario during the lockdown.
“As the voice of horse racing in Ontario, Ontario Racing, its Board of Directors and the Ontario Racing-formed Standardbred task force, remain committed to ensuring horsepeople across the province are kept informed of any pertinent industry-related news, including this temporary pause to live horse racing,” said John Hayes, Chair, Ontario Racing. “We are closely following the current situation and will provide any necessary updates.”
(Ontario Racing)
The non-rescheduling of
The non-rescheduling of cancelled race dates would be a significant error in judgment by leadership. We were able to see how quickly AGCO, OR and COSA can make a decision when the feeling urges them. The rescheduling of the December 22nd Flamboro card to Woodbine Mohawk Park on the afternoon of the 23rd, (subsequently cancelled due to track conditions), was made within hours and made hardly a ripple in the tide of the horse racing bureaucracy.
Leadership needs to be there for the people whose livelihood is at stake. If I am missing something here I apologize in advance. However, if nothing can be done, somebody needs to inform leadership that “active training” should include all horses in training (horses that are racing age as well as yearlings soon to be turning 2). These babies are purchased and trained down with purse money earned by their stablemates.
“Closely monitoring” needs to be proactive not reactive. We had six months to have a plan ready. Let’s not be weeks behind as we were forced to in March.