Page 5 - March 2008 The Game

Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper
The Game, March 2008 5 nel to notify ORC judges./stewards
TOhe New ORC Initiatives: A Mixed Bag
by Karen Briggs
n January 23, 2008, the Ontario tion of these therapies to ORC-licensed Racing Commission announced veterinarians.
lines which gives ORC judges
and stewards discretion to deal with mitigating circumstances when determining penalties for violations (effective January 31, 2008)
immediately when any ‘items of interest’ are found in the course of their activities, with seizure authority limited to ORC personnel.
a stful of health, safety, and regula- tory measures designed “to protect the health of the horse, ensure safety of the participant, and reinforce the integrity of our sport”.
There are two main initiatives under the “Safety” category, both to do with equipment changes. First, horses will be required to be out tted with “safety reins” when racing as of January 1, 2009, and when training on ORC-licensed properties, as of July
1, 2009. These reins have a nylon core and a pair of snaps which attach quickly to the bit (in addition to the usual buckle or wrap fastening) – the idea being that they will reduce the chance of a rider having to deal with a broken rein.
• new penalty guidelines for drug offenses and positive tests for non- therapeutic drugs, the toughest of which is a 10 year suspension, plus ne, for a third offense with a Class I drug (effective January 31, 2008)
• New rules allowing samples taken during ‘out of competition’ testing to be frozen, which will allow licensees to ask for a separate con rmatory test as well as make samples available
The new measures can be broken down into three categories: Health, Safety, and Regulatory Measures.
Under “Health”, the ORC has launched:
• new terms to be added to the license of any trainer coming off
a suspension for a violation of the medication rules, including allowing the ORC access to his/her stable for inspections and out-of-competition testing
for further testing as technology for detecting new methods of cheating, progresses.
• a new regulation whereby only ORC licensed veterinarians will be authorized to administer medications to racehorses (effective June 1, 2008) -- excepting emergencies and remote areas where ORC licensed vets may be unavailable
The second only affects the har- ness racing side: some 15 years after they were legislated for jockeys and exercise riders, protective ‘ ak jacket’ vests have been made mandatory for drivers when racing or jogging a horse as of October 1, 2008.
• a clari cation on policy concerning the transfer of a horse from one trainer to another, when the original trainer
is suspended (of cials will have the leeway to assess each case based on the degree of closeness of the relation- ship, and the licensing history and past conduct of the proposed trainer)
ORC Chair Rod Seiling noted in
a press conference on January 25, “These measures go to the heart of what the ORC is about. They all serve the integrity of the industry and the public interest, and bene t the health and safety of horses and participants.
• the establishment of a new “Horse Health Passport” (effective April 1, 2008) which will record all medica- tions and veterinary treatments ad- ministered to a horse throughout its lifetime (including vaccinations and deworming)
“The initiatives are signi cant, but fair and balanced.”
• a 96-hour (four day) window between a horse being treated with Extra-Corporeal Shock Therapy (ESWT) or Radial Pulse Wave Thera- py, and being entered to race (effective January 31, 2008)
• a rule making any horse with a “positive test” for a Class I, II, III, or “non-therapeutic” substance, or TCO2, immediately ineligible to race for 90 days
• a re-iteration that it is the responsibility of the regulator (ie. the ORC) to conduct out-of-competition testing, and not that of any other in- dustry stakeholder, such as a racetrack. Consent from trainers as a condition of entry has been deemed inappropriate and against the rules of racing.
reaction from industry participants, but many did.
• a new regulation restricting the ownership of ESWT and Radial Pulse therapy equipment and the administra-
• a regulation making the trainer of record absolutely responsible for any positive test for a horse in his/her care
Pat Meyers, DVM, an ORC licensed veterinarian who breeds Standardbreds at his own Emerald Ridge Farm near Rockwood, commented on the ruling requiring racehorses to be treated only by ORC-licensed practitioners, saying, “I understand what the ORC is trying to do with this ruling.
And nally, under the “Regulatory” banner, there are a number of new measures, including:
INDUSTRY REACTION
Not all of the initiatives engendered
• a revision of the penalty guide-
• a rule requiring racetrack person-
CONTINUED PAGE 6 - SEE ORC
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555 Rexdale Blvd., P.O. Box 156 Rexdale, Ontario
M9W 5L2
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