It was announced on Friday, February 20 that the Ontario Racing Commission and the Woodbine Entertainment Group will further enhance their joint out-of-competition testing procedures for Thoroughbred racing.

The release states that in 2014, WEG and the ORC first announced an enhanced testing program pertaining to all Thoroughbred Grades I and II stakes races run at Woodbine Racetrack for the balance of that season. This out-of-competition testing has been enhanced once again through the 2015 season, and will now also apply to Grade lll stakes races.

The release states that all participants that nominate their horse(s) to Grade I, II and/or Grade III stakes races will be required to allow access to the horse(s) and consent to biological samples being collected from the horse(s) by the ORC or its representative.

The contents of the ORC release appear below.

ORC And WEG Announce Enhanced Out Of Competition Testing

Now applies to Thoroughbred Grades I, II and III Stakes Races

The Ontario Racing Commission (ORC) and Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) will further enhance the ORC’s current Out of Competition Testing (OCT) program. WEG will apply for reimbursement of qualifying out-of-pocket testing and laboratory expenses through The Jockey Club’s Out of Competition Testing Grant Fund (“Grant Fund”).

The Grant Fund has been established by The Jockey Club to assist in defraying out-of-pocket costs associated with out-of-competition testing programs for Graded Stakes races at eligible licensed Thoroughbred racetracks to promote the integrity of Thoroughbred racing.

In August 2014, WEG and ORC first announced an enhanced testing program pertaining to all Thoroughbred Grades I and II stakes races run at Woodbine Racetrack for the balance of that season. This Out of Competition testing has been enhanced once again through the 2015 season, and will now also apply to Grade lll stakes races.

All participants that nominate their horse(s) to Grade I, II and/or Grade III stakes races will be required to allow access to the horse(s) and consent to biological samples being collected from the horse(s) by the ORC or its representative.

The sample collection(s) will take place from the closing of nominations to running of the race, without further notice or warning.

Should a participant fail to produce a horse when requested, the horse will become ineligible to run in the race and the owner and/or trainer may be ineligible for licensing in Ontario. In addition, further regulatory action may be appropriate in these circumstances.

For further information on this initiative, please contact: ORC Assistant Manager of Racing Russ Fernandes at 416-213-0520.