The Standardbred Canada Board of Directors has approved changes to the O’Brien Awards eligibility criteria.

The new Integrity Policy is as follows:

Horse Category Awards

A horse is ineligible for an O'Brien Award if the horse’s owner has served or is currently serving a penalty for a period of 180 days or more during the calendar year. The horse also remains ineligible if the penalty extends into the following year. Additionally, horses that receive a Class I, II, III drug, or TCO2 positive are ineligible.

Trainer of the Year
Keith Waples Driver of the Year
O’Brien Award of Horsemanship
Armstrong Breeder of the Year
Leading Owner

Any trainer who receives a Class I, II, III, or TCO2 positive, or anyone who receives a suspension of 90 days or more, at any point during the calendar year leading up to the O'Brien Awards, is ineligible for the O'Brien Award for Trainer of the Year, the O'Brien Award of Horsemanship, and the Keith Waples Driver of the Year. Additionally, any trainer with two or more Class IV or Class V positives during the same period is also ineligible for these awards.

Future Star Award

To be eligible for the Future Star Award, a candidate must:

• Be 30 years of age or younger as of December 31 of the award year.
• Be in the first five full-time years of their career as a trainer or driver.
• Have made the majority of their starts (over 50 per cent) in Canada in the year of consideration.
• Cannot win this award more than once.
• Does not have to be a Canadian citizen.
• Must meet the full-time participation requirement:
  -- Trainers: minimum of 75 starts per calendar year.
  -- Drivers: minimum of 150 starts per calendar year.

The following candidates will be excluded from consideration for the Future Star Award:

• Any candidate who has any one or a number of suspensions totalling 60 days or more in any of the five years of eligibility, or carrying over into the year of presentation.
• Any trainer who has received a positive test for a Class I, II, or III drug, or a TCO2 positive, in any of the five years of eligibility.
• Any trainer who receives two or more Class IV or Class V positives during the calendar year, or at any time prior to the presentation of the O'Brien Awards.

Notwithstanding Clause

Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, Standardbred Canada reserves the right to determine the eligibility of any horse, individual or entity at its sole discretion.

(Standardbred Canada Press Release)