Page 16 - March 2009 The Game

update
HBPA Ontario Administration Of ce:: 135 Queen’s Plate Drive, Suite 370 Toronto, Ontario, M9W 6V1 • 416-747-5252
16 The Game, March 2009 Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper
HBPAOntario
www.hbpa.on.ca
Another Set Back for Fort Erie
Not Giving Up on Fort Erie
The breakdown of negotiations yesterday regarding the purchase of Fort Erie Racetrack from Nordic was disappointing, but not entirely a surprise to all of us involved in the process.
For Clari cation:
· The HBPA has been fully apprised and engaged in all negotiations. · The HBPA fully supports the steps and position taken by the EDTC. · The rhetoric coming out of Nordic is at best, misleading.
· The EDTC did NOT withdraw the offer. The offer made to Nordic
had an 11am on Monday February 23 deadline. Nordic failed to respond by that deadline.
· The Province is the key to the ongoing success at Fort Erie. The Province & our regulator, the ORC, are fully apprised of the developments.
A Trainer’s Worst Nightmare ~ The Positive Test
· Negotiations among all parties will continue and are ongoing as we speak.
We, the horsepeople, and particularly, right now, the Fort Erie horsepeople are amazingly committed. You are resilient, proud and dedicated to both
our industry and especially to the horses. Now, you have also demonstrated incredible patience.
We can’t promise the nal outcome of Fort Erie, but we can promise the effort to save Fort Erie will be fought to the bitter end. I personally, will not be deterred or intimidated by criticism, public posturing, or set backs such as yesterdays (February 23).
Please continue to refer to our website www.hbpa.on.ca Respectfully yours,
Sue Leslie, President
Should all chemical ndings in urine or blood constitute a positive, even if there is insuf cient medication to have an effect on the performance of a horse?
legally used in training; however, since there are 40,000 medications used for the health and welfare of a horse it is impossible to expect this to occur.
Not all drug testing procedures are created equal; the most sensitive can produce a positive nding long after the pharmacological affect had dissipated. For this reason the racing industry has developed threshold levels for some 50 drugs, world wide. A threshold is a regulatory quantitative number that indicates the allowable limit of drug that can be found in the blood or urine before a positive can be declared.
One way to solve this predicament would be for the CPMA to quantitatively test the blood or urine sample whenever a positive is identi ed. Those test results would then be sent to a panel of expert equine pharmacologists to evaluate and advise whether the quantity of medication detected could reasonably have affected the performance of the horse. If the answer is “no”, a positive test would not be declared.
The Canadian Pari-Mutual Agency (CPMA) - the body that regulates testing in Canada - does not honour foreign thresholds and has only a handful of their own.
All of this would be in the best interest of racing. Conrad Cohen
HBPA of Ontario
Rules and Medication, Chair
In theory there should be a threshold for every therapeutic medication
ChangestoForeignWorkerProgram
As of January 1, 2009, new criteria was introduced that will effect all applications for Foreign Workers (whether it be for a new application, extension of an existing permit, or a change of employer).
Employers must now advertise the position (grooms and exercise riders) on the National Job Bank (www.jobbank.gc.ca) for a period of two weeks prior to submitting any application to the HRSDC.
The advertisement must state the company’s name, address and wages.
IF the employer receives any calls during this two week period they must take down the applicants name and phone number and reasons why they do not qualify for the job.
The employer must print off a copy of the ad as well and submit this along with the regular HRSDC application at the end of the two week period.
If you have any questions please contact the HBPA track of ce at 416-675-3802
TeachersNeeded
The HBPA is looking for teachers for their ‘Practical, Anatomy and Physiology’ and ‘Business’ Skills Courses. Classes are held once a week (3 hour duration) for 13 weeks. Interested parties should fax their resume to 416-747-9606 or email general@hbpa.on.ca
WoodbineBackstretchOf ceHours
The Woodbine HBPA backstretch of ce is now open Monday to Friday from 7am to 3pm. The of ce extend its hours to seven days a week at the start of the 2008 racing season in April. The of ce will be closed on all statutory holidays.
The HBPA Administrative Of ce will remain open during regular business hours throughout the winter months.
Trainer & Assistant Trainer Testing 2009
Applications for Trainer and Assistant Trainer testing will be available at the track of ce in February 2009. All applications must be submitted two weeks prior to the test dates. Only complete applications will be accepted.
HBPA Trainer and Assistant Trainer Testing Schedule 2009: March 25, 2009 - Woodbine Racetrack
April 22, 2009 - Both Woodbine & Fort Erie Racetracks
May 27, 2009 - Both Woodbine and Fort Erie Racetracks
July 8, 2009 - Both Woodbine and Fort Erie Racetracks September 23, 2009 - Both Woodbine and Fort Erie Racetracks For more information contact the HBPA Backstretch Of ce, 416-675-3802.
The Game March 2009.indd 16 2/24/09 10:31:58 PM