Multiple sources have told Trot Insider that on Wednesday, January 14 the Ontario Court of Appeals dismissed an appeal by the Woodbine Entertainment Group
.
WEG was appealing an Ontario Racing Commission ruling in regard to horses conditioned by trainer Bill Elliott and owned by Bob Hamather, Lloyd Nicholson, Gary Smith and Geoffrey Mount.
On April 14, 2008, the ORC announced that test results confirmed the presence of EPO in Michelles Power, one of 29 horses that Elliott was training. According to ORC rules, all horses in Elliott's barn were subsequently declared ineligible to race until transferred to the care of another licensed trainer approved by the ORC.
According to files form the ORC, the horses were transferred with approval of the ORC and were eligible to race. The problem arose when, notwithstanding ORC eligibility, WEG refused to accept those horses at WEG tracks (Woodbine and Mohawk Racetracks).
On May 15, 2008, an ORC panel ruled that WEG is prohibited from rejecting eligible horses.
The May 15, 2008 ruling was the item which WEG appealed Wednesday, January 14 to the Ontario Court of Appeals. As previously mentioned, the appeal was dismissed.
(With files from the ORC)
Two very good points. If you
Two very good points. If you know where the source of the aminorex came from go to the RCMP. As far as WEG not bringing charges to these so called cheaters, there is no solid evidence in most cases. This is part of the issue with the negotiations and the aminorex issue. If someone was able to produce solid evidence, we wouldn't be having half the discussions we are having now. As far as keeping up with the chemical trainers, some lab somewhere has to be testing these so called chemicals, find the labs, find the cheaters create new tests. The problem with that is it costs money. Do you really think people will go for purse reductions and takeout reductions for a period of time to create money to solve the mystery of chemical trainers. What if they don't exist? Is it an urban legend? We probably will never know.
I can't see why these owners
I can't see why these owners are not allowed to race if the ORC approved the trainer transfer. After all, it was Bill Elliott training another owners horse. I recall a David Wilmott owned horse that was caught with injectables at the track.
I know you will probably not
I know you will probably not post this comment however, I will try again to make my point. WEG and other tracks need to take some steps to create the required integrity for this industry. Let me just refer back to a few questionable decisions that the controlling authority (ORC) has made. Early in 2008 there was the discovery of Aminorex in 12 to 14 trainers horses. I advised the ORC where this chemical came from as they stated that they don't know where the product came from.(like as if this should make a difference you know trainer is responsible). There were some top notch trainers involved two of them being major players at the WEG tracks. The ORC ruling did not suspend nor fine these top participants. Then there is the Hudon case where the ORC can't make a decision. SOMEONE NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE THOSE WHO ARE INVESTIGATING HORSEPEOPLE,WHETHER TRAINERS DRIVERS TRACK OWNERS AND OTHERS.
I MUST BE MISSING
I MUST BE MISSING SOMETHING.
WEG in trying to ban cheating trainers from their grounds. When WEG catches these cheating trainers, my question is Why aren't they being turned over to the police and charged criminally like a regular person on the street selling or using drugs? Everybody knows there are a lot of trainers at various tracks that are using chemicals that can't be detected through the tests that they do. They need to get better advanced testing to detect the chemicals and drugs that are being administered by these trainers. This is a criminal offense and lets get the proper authorities in to clean this game up once and for all at all tracks.
Everyone (all organizations
Everyone (all organizations and participants) has a role to play and I believe that this court decision sends a clear message in the REAL WORLD that an operators role is not to interfere with the proper jurisidictions ruling.
way to go weg you can
way to go weg
you can increase wagering without the bettors confidence but these people shouldnt only be banned from weg but across the sport standardbred needs a unified front and that means that drug dealers and pushers are not welcome!!
standardbred canada and the usta should not give known dealers and pushers a lisence that should be a fact.
I think it is great that weg
I think it is great that weg is trying to clean up racing and I think they have every right to ban suspect participants. Having said this, I also believe in some instances power can become corrupt. Maybe it is time that a group of elected horsemen work along with the tracks to clean up drug use.
what a lot of people don't
what a lot of people don't seem to understand is this, WEG is a licensee of the ORC just like any other driver, trainer, owner, groom, etc.
The fact that WEG owns and
The fact that WEG owns and operates Woodbine & Mohawk Raceway should give them the power to accept or reject any entry they wish. This should only be based on who's training the horse and not the horse itself. It's really no different than a home owner picking and choosing who enters their home. That being said I don't think that the horses should be held accountable for what their trainers put into them. In other words the right decision was made in this case.
WEG IS NOT THE BAD GUY
WEG IS NOT THE BAD GUY HERE.......I have been in the harness racing game for 40+ years and I have never seen WEG ban someone who didn't deserve it !!! Maybe WEG should be the regulator.....they seem to do a better job than the ORC.
You gotta love WEG. They
You gotta love WEG. They seem to be the only ones out there trying to clean this game up by getting rid of the cheating filth. This is one fan that can't wait to see the back side of the whole Robinson, Elliot, etc. situation. Good for you WEG, and keep fighting the good fight.
Good it's about time the ORC
Good it's about time the ORC stopped taking a back seat to WEG.
If you give WEG full control of who and who can't race in the province of Ontario you might as well close shop on racing in this province if they haven't already.
Maybe if WEG would stick to
Maybe if WEG would stick to being a track operator and let the ORC be the regulator, they would have more time to find ways to increase the wager.