On Monday, March 4, the Ontario Racing Commission released rulings in regard to appeals from each Richard Carroll, Mark Williams and Russell Meerdink.
The ORC stated that since both Carroll and Williams were appealing the same thing that it would couple its rulings into a single document on the matter. Both Carroll and Williams were seeking stays from the ORC's 90-day Owner Responsibility Rule.
Carroll and Williams each owned racehorses that produced positive post-race tests for the Class 2 drug Ractopamine. After an investigation, the ORC determined that it was the feed distributor that the owners used that caused the positive tests.
After the ORC's determinations regarding the cause of the positive tests, Carroll and Williams then moved to have the 90-day Owner Responsibility suspension dropped.
The ORC denied Carroll and Williams' appeals, but varied the penalties. In its rulings, the ORC immediately stayed the remaining days under the Owner Responsibility suspension.
To read the ORC's reasons for decision regarding the matters, click here.
In regard to Russell Meerdink, he was appealing a decision by the Ontario Sires Stakes Program administrator to refuse to accept his application for exemption. The ORC ruled against Meerdink's appeal.
The view an official copy of the ORC ruling, which includes its reason for decision, click here.
(With files from the ORC)