A plan submitted by Windsor for the re‐direction of purse money from Woodstock and Dresden Raceways has been approved by the Director of the Ontario Racing Commission, following a recommendation from the Ontario Racing Program’s Implementation and Monitoring (IM) Group

. The approved plan calls for $1.4 million to move from Woodstock and Dresden to Windsor, to maintain the average 2012 daily purse at Windsor at approximately $75,000, a level more in line with the requirements for a Signature card that is wagered on internationally.  

The Director issued the Order on January 17, 2012, citing specific conditions that must be followed by track management.  For example, management is required to comply with the monitoring and reporting process as laid out by the IM Group, to ensure that race programs continue to be produced within purse levels designated for Signature level cards.  

The track must inform the Director or the IM Group as soon as it becomes aware of any issues or concerns that might adversely affect the Ontario Racing Program at any of the three racetracks. As well, the track will be reporting on their 2012 marketing plans and activities.

“Under the Ontario Racing Program, racetracks can apply for purse monies to be redirected,” said Wendy Hoogeveen, speaking on behalf of the IM Group. “Currently, the ORP criteria allows this where the tracks are owned/controlled by the same company or related companies."

In 2011, the Director approved a similar purse re‐direction for Windsor. The goal of the initiative was to achieve an average daily purse in keeping with Signature cards, to increase horse supply and to offer full cards of competitive racing that would be of greater interest to the pari‐mutuel wagering public.  The results were encouraging in 2011: entries per card averaged 132, an increase of 23% over 2010, and the average wager per day on Windsor’s live racing from Ontario sources was $220,000, an increase of 16% over 2010.   

Overall, the IM Group felt the 2011 results were of value to Ontario harness racing and therefore recommended the 2012 application for re‐direction.  As a border track, Windsor Raceway’s viability has historically been based on a long standing relationship with American horses and their owners.  

This interdependence leads to American horses receiving a share of Windsor purses. It was recognized early on that preference should be given to horses that contribute to the Ontario economy under any sort of purse redistribution. While we are encouraged by some positive movement the increased purses created, there is still a concern that Ontario owners and trainers are not taking full advantage of the improved purses.

The 2011 Windsor statistics do show that when Ontario owners did enter, they got in 81% of the time. This is an indication that the Canadian‐based preference rule is helping Ontario owners successfully get opportunities.   

The mandate of the IM Group is to implement and monitor the elements of the Ontario Racing Program and to ensure the Program is flexible enough to change, where the need for change is demonstrated and determined to be warranted.   

(ORC)