Trot Insider has learned that the Olds Agricultural Society in Olds, Alberta will be hosting four qualifying sessions in September. Also, in the future, the location may be further incorporated into the provincial industry.
The qualifying sessions are scheduled for Tues., Sept. 23, Wed., Sept. 24, Mon., Sept. 29 and Tues., Sept. 30.
Newly-appointed Alberta Standardbred Horse Association racing manager Fred Gillis spoke with Trot Insider this morning and confirmed that qualifying priority will be given to young horses preparing for the upcoming meet at Northlands Park. Although, Gillis stressed that qualifying space is not limited, and therefore it shouldn't be much of a problem getting aged stock race-tight for the meet.
"I think it's safe to say that everybody involved is quite excited," Gillis told Trot Insider. "The Olds location offers a 2,200-person grandstand, excellent barns and a well-taken-care-of facility that can hold hundreds of horses."
The Olds Agricultural Society is located 90 kilometres north of Calgary, essentially in the centre of 'the loop' between Calgary and Edmonton. In regard to travelling distance, the track is roughly an hour trip from Calgary and two hours from Edmonton.
This week Standardbred Canada granted accreditation to the Olds oval to host officially recognized, recorded and timed races. The accreditation is subject to the Olds Agricultural Society's compliance with Horse Racing Alberta's rules of racing.
According to determinations by D. Clayton J. Bruce Alberta and Canada Land Surveyor, the Olds oval is 329.4 feet short of an official half-mile racetrack. In adapting to the track configuration, the course has been divided into eighths such that the starting post and finishing post are at different positions on the track.
"The track is short of an official half-mile course, but we (ASHA) don't have any major worries about it at all," Gillis told Trot Insider. "The races will start before the finish line to accommodate the shortness of the track, which is not a big issue.
"The track has been surveyed by myself and some top track people and we are really pleased with it -- it is in great shape. There is some good banking and the current sand/clay mix is pretty good."
Gillis told Trot Insider that horsemen should contact Jackson Wittup to submit entries.
Wittup, who can be reached by phone at 780-532-8422 or fax at 780-402-7103, will be accepting entries for the Sept. 23 and 24 sessions on Saturday, Sept. 20. Entries for the Sept. 29 and 30 sessions will be accepted Saturday, Sept. 27.
All normal requirements for qualifying races must be met as follows:
- Horses must be freeze branded
- A current coggins test must be available
- 2008 eligibility fee must be paid
- All owners must be members in good standing with Horse Racing Alberta and Standardbred Canada
Venue Could Play Future Role
"Even though (Olds) is a location which has been used in the past, in relation to the current industry in Alberta it is a new venue for us," Gillis told Trot Insider. "It does hold the possibility of being incorporated into part of a long-term 'B' track circuit. At this moment there aren't any plans to host pari-mutuel racing for 2009, but there is a possibility for procedure towards that next step."
Trot Insider spoke with Olds Agricultural Society vice president Jack McCurdy about the possibility of an expanded relationship between the Alberta industry and the Olds facility, and it seems like the two entities could be an ideal match.
"There has been discussion about the possibility of hosting pari-mutuel standardbred racing here at the facility," McCurdy told Trot Insider. "I think that it is safe to say that the Olds Agricultural Society would be very interested; the board of directors has been very excited with the idea of the endeavor.
"We feel that we would have to extend and widen the track and make some other types of smaller changes to accommodate the racing, but it is something that could be done."
If what McCurdy has said comes to fruition, there could be much more racing at the Olds facility in the future.
"We could be submitting applications for accreditation for pari-mutuel racing to Standardbred Canada this coming spring," said McCurdy. "If pari-mutuel racing is to be in the plans for the Olds Agricultural Society, we would probably start off with a ten-day to two-week meet, after which we would assess the venture and take further action from there."
The racetrack at the Olds Agricultural Society hosted pari-mutuel thoroughbred racing for a good deal of the 1960s, which were "quite a draw" according to McCurdy.
In addition to the track and grandstand, the Olds Agricultural Society location offers much more, with three arenas of significant size flexible to accommodate all sorts of events.
McCurdy told Trot Insider that the match between the Alberta standardbred industry's current needs and the Olds location could proved to be ideal. "In the winter, for the most part, our facilities are relatively empty."