Joe O'Brien Memorial

AUTHORITY: Rules of the Atlantic Provinces Harness Racing Commission (APHRC) and Standardbred Canada (SC) apply.

TO BE RACED AT: Prince Edward Island pari-mutual tracks after August 15th of the 2 and 3-year-old year.

FORMAT: Two legs for each of 2-year-old and 3-year-old pacing colts. Charlottetown Driving Park and Summerside Raceway will each host one leg of each division.

BREEDERS AWARD: Breeders’ awards, as determined by the sponsor, shall be paid to two- and three-year old colts whose certificate of registration indicates place of foaling to be Prince Edward Island and whose dam resided on PEI for at least 183 days of the foaling year. (Residency requirement to be verified by signed affidavit submitted to PEIHRIA preferably before December 1st of the foaling year). These awards shall be paid by the PEI Harness Racing Industry Association subject to funding made available from Government programs in support of the Island breeding industry.

QUALIFICATION: All declared entries must have met and continue to meet qualifying standards as set forth by the Atlantic Standardbred Breeders Association or as amended by the participating racetrack with the approval of the PEI Harness Racing Industry Association.

FUNDING: $220,000 Added ($110,000 at both 2 and 3). Host tracks add $2,000 per Gold division and $1,500 per Grassroots division.

CONDITION CHANGES: Host track contributions will increase to $2,000 per Gold division and $1,500 per Grassroot division for the 2025 racing season onward.

GENERAL CONDITIONS:
1.APHRC assumes no liability for purses, injury, damages, or loss to participants in this event.
2. For this program, PEI foaled shall be defined as: A foal whose place of birth on the applicable Standardbred Canada/USTA registration certificate is indicated to be Prince Edward Island.
3. Each event is to be contested at one mile (1609 m).
4. Purse distribution for five or more finishers is 45%,25%, 15%, 10% and 5%; four finishers is 50%, 25%, 15% and 10%; three finishers 50%, 30% and 20%; two finishers 60% and 40%, and one finisher is 100%.
5. All nominating, sustaining, and starting fees shall be added to the purses with no deduction for clerical or managerial work, advertising, or publicity.
6. Events will be raced in Gold and Grassroots formats. If, at the time of declaration, the entry has earned less than $10,000 lifetime for 2-year-olds and less than $20,000 lifetime for 3-year-olds the entry may, at the owners’ discretion, compete in a Grassroots division. All other entries will compete in a Gold division.
7. If more horses declare to start than are permitted in one dash on the track where the race is to take place, the event shall be split into divisions with entries determined by Standardbred Canada electronic draw. No division shall consist of more than eight entries. If two or more divisions are required, the host track shall add the regular portion to each division.

8. Any entry changing gait after the sustaining fee(s) have been made will be transferred to the new gait adopted, providing such request is in writing. The starting fees for the said entry shall be applied to the new gait.
9. The PEI Harness Racing Industry Association, within its sole discretion, may from time to time amend the terms, conditions, and/or to the purse structure of the Joe O’Brien Memorial Stake of any kind whatsoever, including added money, as well as nomination and sustaining payments and starting fees with the approval of the APHRC and proper notice given to the industry, and the nominator agrees to be bound by such changes.
10. Should conditions beyond the control of the PEIHRIA prevent the racing of any event, the PEIHRIA reserves the right to declare off any event and redistribute the money to those horses currently eligible, or to transfer the event to another date, or to another track, or to do both.
11. If an explicit interpretation of these conditions might not be acceptable to all parties, the PEIHRIA Board of Directors reserves the right to interpret these conditions in an implicit manner in accordance with the goals and objectives of the organization as may be established and amended from time to time with the approval of the APHRC and proper notice given to the industry.
12. Standardbred Canada and the PEIHRIA assume no responsibility for nominations or payments made by mail which are not received. Sending payments by Registered Mail is recommended. All payments must be post-marked no later than the said due date.