On Thursday morning, the Ontario Racing Commission released corrections to the 2016 race date schedule for the province's thoroughbred, quarter horse and harness racing tracks.

The correction was due to a clerical error that created a conflict with Rule 3.01.02 of the Standardbred Rules of Racing where no race dates should be approved for December 24 and December 25 of any given year, and affected the schedules for Flamboro Downs and Woodbine Racetrack.

Great Canadian Gaming Corporation has elected to re-schedule December 24 and December 25 to December 21 and December 22. Woodbine Entertainment Group has elected to re-schedule December 24 from the 2016 calendar to the first quarter of 2017.

The ORC also issues a correction to the 2016 schedule of race dates for Georgian Downs, where a race date was not listed. The revised calendars are attached to this Notice (see Appendix A -- corrected).

In accordance with Policy Directive 3-2007 and upon consideration of the transfer payment agreements (TPA) currently in place between racetracks and the Ontario government, the Director issues the 2016 Race Date Schedule as follows:

Thoroughbred

• Fort Erie Racetrack - 40 days

Quarter Horse

• Ajax Downs - 29 days

Standardbred

• Clinton Raceway - 15 days

• Dresden Raceway - 11 days

• Flamboro Downs - 133 days

• Georgian Downs - 39 days

• Grand River Raceway - 48 days

• Hanover Raceway - 15 days

• Hiawatha Horse Park & Entertainment Centre - 21 days

• Kawartha Downs - 18 days

• Leamington Raceway - 13 days

• Mohawk Racetrack - 118 days

• The Raceway at Western Fair District - 124 days

• Woodbine Racetrack - 103 days

The approved calendars are attached to this Notice (see Appendix A).

Racetracks requiring additional funding and/or changes to their TPA in order to support additional race dates during the 2016-2017 fiscal year must apply for these changes to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG). The OLG and the Interim Governance Committee have advised that they are currently developing a process to address requests for variances, which process will be in place post March 31, 2016.

Dresden Raceway, Kawartha Downs and Leamington Raceway have expressed interest in applying with the OLG to fund additional days of racing and will be submitting post March 31, 2016.

Rideau Carleton Raceway Holdings Ltd. has applied for amendment to the pre-approved 2016 race date calendar at Rideau Carleton Raceway.

Woodbine Entertainment Group has applied for variance to the pre-approved 2016 Thoroughbred race date calendar at Woodbine Racetrack.

Copies of the applications and business cases to support these changes are included with this Notice (see Appendix B).

The ORC is circulating these applications for variance and/or amendment to the race date calendars and will receive comments on the application from interested industry participants before making its decision on the application.

Input, comments or concerns must be received by December 14, 2015 to be considered and can be forwarded to the Ontario Racing Commission as follows:

Facsimile: (416) 213-7827
E-Mail: [email protected]
Mail: Ontario Racing Commission, Suite 400, 10 Carlson Court, Toronto, ON M9W 6L2

Please be advised that any aggrieved party has the right to appeal the Director’s decision to the Commission.

(ORC)