On Friday, December 21, the Ontario Racing Commission released rulings in regard to appeals from owner Pat Hales and horseman Tyler Moore.
Hales was appealing an ORC decision to place a pair of her horses, Oakland Bay and Just Fool Around, on the Judges List due to the fact that the ORC judges believed that the racing of the two horses was not in the best interest of racing.
The ORC ruled that an arrangement was made to facilitate a trainer transfer which would allow the horses to be declared to race with the following condition: 1) The ORC investigators will have to be given entry at any time to where the horses are located. If they find that Mike Hales in any way is associated with either horse at the time they are racing, the horses will automatically be returned to the Judges’ List. There will be no Judges’ hearing and the ORC will have to be involved in the civil judgment as to where monies are going.
Pat Hales dropped her appeal after the arrangement with the ORC has agreed upon. To view an official ORC ruling on the matter, click here.
In regard to Moore, he had begun the process to appeal a fine a driving suspension stemming from a November race at Georgian Downs. When the matter was heard, Neeko Stein, representing Moore, stated that Moore was dropping his appeal. To view an official ORC ruling on the matter, click here.