Page 3 - December 2006 The Game

Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper The Game, December 2006 3 ORC Announcements:
When Jockeys Lose Their Cool
Administrative Changes, Search for a CAO, HIP to be Reviewed
The day-to-day existence of jockeys can be an intense one, but things escalated beyond reason on November 11 when two of Woodbine’s leading riders let a feud explode out of control.
As a result, the Ontario Racing Commission has slapped Constant Montpellier and Patrick Husbands with lengthy suspensions. Each jockey has been fined $5000. Montpellier has received a 150-day suspension, and Husbands has been unseated for 60 days.
Pieced together from bystanders’ accounts, The Game has learned that between the third and fourth races on November 11, Husbands got
angry at Montpellier who was allegedly
pestering him from behind. Husbands, we’re told, then hit Montpellier in the head with his riding helmet.
For that, the ORC has cited Husbands for “employing the use of a weapon in a violent manner while assaulting another licensee in the jockeys’ quarters prior to the running of the fourth race on November 11, 2006.”
What happened next was frightening to say the least. In the fourth race, Montpellier rode Western Charmer to a fourth place finish, while Husbands was on the 6th place horse, Sugar Dumpling. The ensuing activity was neither charming nor sugary. According to reports, as the horses ran out, Montpellier attempted to squeeze Husbands into the rail.
With regards to this, the ORC has punished Montpellier for “a deliberate attempt to endanger the safety and welfare of other riders by use of his mount following the running of the fourth race on November 11, 2006.”
Losing their respective dignities will cost both jockeys much more than the $5000 fine levied by the ORC. The riding suspensions start on November 20.
Husbands will not be allowed to ride until May 8, 2007. Based on the fact that, up until this incident, Husbands was the second leading rider with 115 wins for earnings of over $6,600,000, this hiatus could cost him around 20 wins and up to $100,000 in potential earnings. Montpellier is grounded until next August 6, or essentially half a season. Based on his statistics this year (11th in the standings, 50 wins for earnings of $2,840,334,) Montpellier stands to lose out on about 25 first place cheques, and a drop in income by as much as $125,000.
The Ontario Racing Commission has a different executive look after the recent retirement of Director of Finance and Administration Greg Fernandes, who will continue to serve during the transition period while the ORC hires for the position of Chief Administration Officer.
In a press release on November 7, the ORC said that the successful candidate for the position “will be responsible for Financial Planning, Corporate Policy, Government Liaison, Administration, Information technology and Information Services, Internal and External Communications and Human Resources.” The CAO will report to Executive Director John L. Blakney.
As well, the ORC has promoted Wendy Hoogeveen to the position of Director of Industry Development and Support, with responsibilities for the Horse Improvement Program and the new Quarter Horse Program. Diane Simpson, who previously was the Training and Development Co-ordinator, has been appointed Corporate Planning and Human Resources Officer.
In a separate announcement, the ORC revealed that it is planning an extensive review of the Ontario Horse Improvement Program (HIP) which has been providing funds to the racing industry through purses, breeders’ awards and equine research. Since its inception in 1974. HIP has contributed $766 million to Thoroughbred, Standardbred and Quarter Horse racing in Ontario.
In spite of those impressive figures, the Ontario Racing Commission, which oversees this program, is of the opinion that they can do even better.
“There’s a feeling right now that the Ontario breeding industry is suffering some setbacks,” said Wendy Hoogeveen as the newly minted Director of Industry Development and Support, “Given the purses, it is more financially attractive to purchase a ready-made racehorse than invest in a yearling and wait for the investment to come through. Sales numbers have been dropping and people are leaving the breeding industry. Neighbouring jurisdictions are implementing or upgrading their programs as a result of new slot programs being developed. The Program was meant to provide benefits to the Ontario breeding industry and we need to revisit how it is working.”
The ORC has appointed an Industry Advisory Group to “assist in developing both long term and short term solutions to continuing to build the industry with some specific changes for the fall of 2007.” The Review will also incorporate input from the many licensees and associations
impacted by the program. Recently the ORC issued a Request for Proposal for a project consultant to assist in carrying out the review, which will provide options and action plans for consideration.
The Horse Improvement Program is funded by two streams of revenue. It receives a levy of approximately 2.4% from overall wagering as well as a portion from the Ontario Racetracks Slots Program.
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