On Thursday, May 7, the Atlantic Provinces Harness Racing Commission announced that a set of rules has been changed or adopted by the APHRC Board.
Over the course of the last year, the APHRC has taken several calls concerning 'paper trainers' within the industry and would like it addressed. Throughout the last six months, small focus groups have been held with participants and judges with an attempt to come up with a resolution to the issue of paper trainers. The discussion carried over to the APHRC Rules Working Group in February and received support at the commission level in March. Participants and patrons alike have spoken that this is an area of concern and would like to see the individual that is training the horse be listed in the program as the trainer. If one feels they are not in compliance of this rule, it is recommended by the start of the race season they abide and list the proper trainer.
Several rules have been modified over the winter. Some came out of the APHRC rules committee, while a few variations came from Standardbred Canada’s uniform rules committee so we can be aligned with all jurisdictions across Canada. The rules that were modified over the winter can be viewed on the APHRC website, but some of the key changes are listed below.
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For classes 1, 2, 3 and TCO2 violations, the horse shall serve a suspension. Classes 1 and 2 drug positives 30 days. Class 3/tco2 15 days.
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Trainer transfers for positive tests, there shall be a seven-day wait period.
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In the event there are two tiers of horses, the scratching of a horse that has drawn or earned a position in the front tier shall not affect the position of the horses that have drawn or earned positions in the second tier, except as provided for in handicap claiming races. Whenever a horse is scratched from any tier, horses on the outside move in to fill up the vacancy. When there is only one trailer, it may start from any position in the second tier. When there is more than one trailer, the inside trailer shall follow either the horse in the #1 or #2 position, the next trailer shall follow either the horse in the #3 or #4 position.
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Rule 337. Notwithstanding Rule 333, if in the opinion of the judges a horse while on stride, or part of the horse’s race bike (sulky), goes inside a pylon(s) and that action gave the horse an unfair advantage over other horses in the race or the action helped improve its position in the race, the horse may be placed at the discretion of the judges.
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For those who cannot wear a safety vest due to medical reasons, a doctor’s note is required yearly.
For this race season, paddock meetings will not be held as years past, but rather a one- or two-page form on points of emphasis will be required to be read, signed off by drivers and returned to the judges. See the judges for this form.
Also, a stable employee roster form will need to be completed by trainers (and be on file with the judges) indicating who is employed by them. See the judges for this form.
The APHRC wishes all participants a safe and successful race season. Please keep in mind your surroundings and practice safe social distancing measures.
(APHRC)