Page 35 - March 2005 The Game

Your Thoroughbred Racing Community Newspaper
The Game, March 2005 35
HBPA Update
Trainer Testing has Changed
The first Trainers Test of the 2005 season is scheduled for April at Woodbine Racetrack.
The Trainer Testing criteria has changed since 2004 and the HBPA recommends that all those interested in being tested should check with the HBPA backstretch office for new eligibility requirements and dates. The office can be reached at 1-800-268-9967 ext 2249 or 416-675-3802.
HBPA New Office Hours
For the month of March, the HBPA Backstretch Office at Woodbine will be open from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm Monday to Friday The office can be reached at 1-800- 268-9967 ext 2249 or 416-675-3802.
If the track office is unavailable please contact the HBPA Administration Office which is open from 8:30 am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday. The office can be reached at 416-747-5252.
The HBPA Backstretch Office at Fort Erie will be open from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm Monday to Friday for the months of March and April. The office can be reached at 905-871-3200, ext. 3249.
Roy McDonald Passes Away
Former jockey and trainer, Roy McDonald passed away on February 3, 2005.
He started his career as a jockey at Blue Bonnets Racetrack in the 1940’s.
Trained for Stafford farms, North Down Farms, and John Stuart.
He is survived by son his Jon.
Report from the Executive Director
As another year of live racing is
about to embark upon us next month at
Woodbine, (opening day is April 16 at
Woodbine, and May 1 at Fort Erie)
there will be some changes of note
with regard to the thoroughbred purse
accounts for 2005. For a variety of
reasons at Woodbine, the thorough-
bred purse account at year end showed
an underpayment of just over
$6 million vs. an underpayment of approximately $1 million of a year
ago. With some conservative wagering
and slot revenue projections for 2005
factored into the equation, the under-
payment position would grow without any purse increase which has lead to the following changes for the current year at Woodbine:
(1) Increase public awareness of racing by promoting the “big days”. One of our “big days” of course is “International Day”. If we can learn any- thing from our friends in the south, “big days” put many people in the stands, and without question, that’s what we need at the moment. To bring the quality of horse that is required, the purse offering on International Day will get a $1,000,000 boost on that day alone. The Pattison Canadian International will be increased to $2 million, the EP Taylor will go for $1 million, and the Nearctic will go for $500K.
(2) All stakes, except yearly sales and OSS, will be raised to a minimum purse of $125K.
(3) Purses at the allowance level will be increased by 5%.
(4) The implementation of a starting payment of $400 per starter for those horses that finish out of the
money.
(5) The blending of short and long
purses for all claiming (eliminate the premium paid for long races at the claiming level). Since the majority of races go short, it means a purse increase at the claiming level.
Total cost of this program to the Woodbine purse account is just under $6 million.
At Fort Erie, the 2005 purse structure is much more simplistic and targeted towards the needs and horse inventory available to the area. From an offering perspective, Fort Erie will
be offering the following: 40% of the races will be at the $5K claiming level, 20% at the $8K claiming level, 20% at the $12.5K claiming level, 10% at the $18K claiming level, and the remaining offering of 10% will be at the allowance level. Overnight purses will range from $9K to $22K. The premium paid for long races vs. short races has been eliminated at all overnight levels at Fort Erie.
The Thoroughbred Improvement Program (TIP) at Fort Erie in 2005 has changed as follows: Ontario Bred Allowance bonuses of $5,000 will be paid out at $3,000 for first, $1,500 for second, and $500 for third. At the claiming levels of $18,000 and $12,500, winning owners will receive a sales credit voucher of $3,000 and $1,500 respectively. These sales credit vouchers can be redeemed at the CTHS sales.
If you have any questions on the purse structure at either Woodbine or Fort Erie, drop me a line. See you at the races very soon.
Executive Director Nick Coukos
A Message from the Vice President
There are several issues on the racing scene, both local and industry wide, which are significant for our members. The Ontario HBPA endeavours to keep abreast of changes and advancements through its meetings with horsemen’s organizations.
The hottest subject for the industry at the Racing Symposium in Arizona and The HBPA international convention is that of internet offshore wagering and rebating. The main source of income for horsemen and racetracks is the takeout from every dollar wagered. To summarize the issue, the horsemen’s racetracks are loosing this income to betting firms throughout the world. Rebates are using the differential between the simulcast fee paid and the takeout rate at the track to poach wagering dollars.
Internet gambling is a growing industry already handling hundreds of billions of dollars.
It is highly attractive to younger people because of computer technology. The international HBPA and racetrack owners must work together to ensure that the participants in racing receive their fair share of money wagered on horse racing in these new forms. Horsemen’s groups throughout the world realize this and have approached international HBPA president John Roark as industry participants in this issue. Executive Director Nick Coukos is the Canadian representative on an HBPA task force on simulcasting.
Other major topics at the HBPA convention in San Antonio included insurance, performance review for stewards and medication.
The insurance issue in the US is different than Canada
because of our health care system. The one common problem was the accurate reporting of both WSIB remission and claims. The HBPA encourages following these principles for all it’s members. A major project is currently under way for the HBPA to help trainers comply with WSIB guidelines.
There is a consistent sentiment through the racing industry of a review and education system for stewards. Complaints by racing participants and bettors regarding suspensions and disqualifications have resulted in demands for an evaluation system similar to those for referees in other sports.
Another major project uniform medication rules throughout North America. With the number of state and provincial jurisdictions which must come to an accord, it is an enormous task but one which would enormously simplify and unify the racing industry for all participants.
Ontario HBPA president, Conrad Cohen, is the vice president of the international HBPA medication commit- tee. He is also working on a major project to modernize drug testing procedures to quantify therapeutic drugs at permissible levels as advances in testing procedures now permit.
Jim McAlpine of Magna and Tom Meeker of Churchill Down both stressed in their presentations the need to support live racing. The stresses on local racing caused by slot machine revenue and alternate wagering opportunities makes it essential that horsemen’s groups not allow their racing and breeding industries to be overwhelmed by this new easy money.
In Toronto, traditional spring training in February has been taken away. It was not long ago that the barn area at
Woodbine was full from the first of February. Ontario horsemen relied on this month to build a foundation on their young horses.
The national HBPA meeting in January revealed that the March 1 opening of Woodbine for training is the latest of all provinces. Stampede Park began spring train- ing on January 24 and begins racing April 1. Hastings Park opens its backstretch as well in late January.
The later opening for training results in a later opening for racing. The April 16 start for live racing in Toronto results in racing to mid-December. Despite normal weather in December 2004, races were cancelled on 3 days because of dangerous conditions for both horses and riders.
Fort Erie faces both good news and bad news for the 2005 season. The horsemen at the fort bore a harsh eco- nomic load with the early closing in 2004 of Fort Erie. The $3 million investment by Nordic in a new racing sur- face was successfully accomplished by the Fort Erie management and advisor Butch Passero. This should benefit live racing at Fort Erie for years to come. The bad news is that harsh competition in the Niagara/New York state area has negatively impacted slot machine revenue. The purse structure is good but not as spectacular as a few years back. The HBPA would like to work with Nordic to see if greater use could be made of Fort Erie under the new Liberal government casino program.
Horsemen throughout Canada, the United States and the world donate their time and effort to work together on many common issues with the goal being to support their live racing industries.
Bruce Pollock Vice-President