Page 24 - April 2007 The Game

24 The Game, April 2007 Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper
HBPA Ontario Update
HBPAAdministrativeOffices:135Queen’sPlateDrive,Suite370,Toronto,ON,M9W6V1 phone:416-747-5252
The fifth annual joint meeting of the Thoroughbred Racing Associations (TRA) and Harness Tracks of America (HTA) was held this year in the middle of last month at the Westin Diplomat Resort in Hollywood Florida. Who is the TRA and HTA? Quite simply, the racetrack operators of both standardbred and thoroughbred breeds in North America. Their joint membership includes all the major racetrack operators including Magna Entertainment, Churchill Downs Inc. and Woodbine Entertainment. Consequently, just to be surrounded by the top racing executives in horseracing at a single venue mustered up more networking in two days. It was both refreshing and valuable from a horsemen’s perspective alone.
Of the many panel discussions that were offered to all industry participants (including non HTA/TRA members) over the two day conference, the three areas of interest to all attendees were on the topics of:
Report from the Executive Director
tackle such problems as the use of illegal drugs in racehorses we must believe and recognize the problem exists. “We must recognize the cycle of abuse can be stopped, or at least limited or curtailed,” Blakney said. He believes that a cleansing system should be based on the following principles; 1) Horse racing community involvement, 2) Fairness, responsibility and due process, 3) Education and change of practice, 4) Proactive research and testing, and 5) Increased investigations.
Richard Shapiro, chairman of the California Horse Racing Board, also called on owners and trainers to take responsibility and realize what’s at stake. “I wonder where the conscience of racing is many times, Shapiro said. “It’s time to tell the truth about what our problem is. The problem is we don’t have the tools.... It’s going to take the stakeholders to stand up and say, “We need to clean up our end.”
Slots, the new Simulcasting; in which
Nick Eaves, the new
President and COO of
Woodbine Entertainment
addressed quite thorough-
ly. To use the phrase that
“racing must stand on its
own two feet” is a dead
issue and certainly non
sensible in today’s environ-
ment. When looking at the
new Gulfstream, it is quite
clear that racetrack operators do not focus on racing standing on its own two feet. It is not about a single form of activity and we must anchor our racing product with other entertainment options was the clear theme of this illustrious panel.
Lobbying: When it works and when it doesn’t. With Florida’s expert on racing legislation, state Senator Steve Geller and Manhattan real estate magnate Jeff Gural
who gave some valuable tips to the audience. Specifically their message focused on “economic impact” and how such impacts will generate revenue to government coffers is the attention grabber, and
The now all important subject of INTEGRITY IN RACING in which a panel consisting of Hugh Gallagher (Delaware), Joe Gorajec (Indiana), Richard Shapiro
(California), and Ontario’s own John Blakney, Executive Director of the Ontario Racing Commission. These four regulators were tabbed as not only progressive, but as “no-nonsense” with a collective goal to “clean up the sport”.
John Blakney’s powerpoint presentation focused on “medication control” and “recognition”. He firmly believes that in order for our industry to
Executive Director Nick Coukos
Benefits
HBPA Members Meeting Wednesday, April 25, 2007 at 5PM
Fort Erie Racetrack Turf Side Restaurant All Members Welcome to Attend
Members of the Benefit Plan should be advised that in order to provide better service the HBPA has approved a Pay Direct Drug Card. This will provide more efficient service with respect to dental and prescription drug benefits; for example you will no longer be required to submit prescription receipts to obtain a refund. This will now occur automatically. In order to provide this enhanced service it is necessary all members be on Pre-Authorized Chequing.
Please contact Aon directly if you need to update your billing to PAC.
Charlie Walsh can be reached at 416-542-5500. For more information on the PDD card or other payment options please call Julia Samulak at 416-747-5252 ext. 31.
Pension Plan Members - If Your Name on this List - Contact the HBPA Immediately
Members of the Pension Plan should be advised that anyone requiring backdated service should contact Julia Samulak at the HBPA administration office as there is a moratorium on allowing individuals to obtain applicable service. This moratorium is a one time only offer.
Individuals who have not updated their service need to do so immediately or they will be cashed out as is.
The following individuals need to contact the HBPA regarding their pension immediately: Alfred Kathryn, Luke Moser, George Mooney, Peter Martin, Peter Guthrie, Donald Jones, Brian Corbett, David Mathews, Ronald Deschamps, Geoffrey Harris, David Pilgrim, Leo Herie, Anthony Caine, Kam T. Lau, Paulette Benoit, John Pilgrim, Christopher Voyce, Randolph Watson, John Dalton, Csaba Lengyel, Diane Duncan, Karl Tremblay, Richard Platts, Joseph Fiannaca, Cyndy Parkhill, Howard Crooks, Richard Lundin, Stanford Champegnie, Lorin Thompson, Gary Stahlbaum, Ronald Kostolnik, David Bland, Warren Wilcox, Dennis Guthrie, Sean Giblin, Lavern Johnson, Lois Bentley, Susan Milligan, Dave Murray, Peter Leblanc, Peter Taylor, Marta Klinkova, Michasel Greenadge, Cindy Strathy, Joanne Heslop, Kenneth Dwyer, Grant Pearce, John Perron, Everald Townsend, Lori Hutton, Michel Gobault, Michael Homes, John Wolfe, Lewellyn Bartley, Stephen Goldson, Westley Henry, Susan Hanna, Beverley Morris, Howard Pottins, Tim Cotterell, Richard Mills, David Wheton, Jimmy Cheong, Susan Morgan, Mark Edwards, Danny Petroff, Thomas Danks, Susan Squires, James Vegh, Peter Sielski, David Raymer, Steve Owens, Bruce Smither, Dave Dwyer, Brian
Blair, Eric Daley, Michael Cohen, Robin Semenak, Bradley Nicholds, John Fink, Elisa Francis, Tyrone Harding, Ernie Celsie, Cindy Mustoe, Gary Chan, Christopher Voisin, Guy Dubreuil, Brian Ross, Mike Everett, Gorge Yhard, David Wilkinson, Thomas Sprague, Robert Boreland, Andrea Arsenault, Craig Hall, Jack Miss, Laurie Dinham, Tom County Jr., Colin Rankin, Jodi Mendoza, Joan Mitchell, Desmond Maynard, Calvin Gyles, Emmanuel Reid-Oxley, Ian Hughes, Paul Chouinard, Stephen Bradley, Anthony Husbands, Darren Gomez, Tim Howell, Craig Wonnacott, Robert Taylor, Adelene Amaral, Nicolette Polzin, Jodi Hendry, Chris Albu, James Smith, Errol Miller, Stephane Gagnon, Troy Albert, Gary Cave, Gary Ambrosino, Gino Passero, Kelly Vanderaa, Brian Korionoff, Arthur Silvera, Carole Beland, Kathryn Sullivan, Gerald Seymour, Anthony Dew, Pixley Lewars, Tracy Smith, Sean Smullen, Geoff Walther, Ryan Rogers, Robert Martin, Shane Learn, Antoine Murray, Kenny Romine, Greg Watson, Eldridge Lindsay, Kevin Pasher, Sheryl Adamo, Kristin McGuire, Karen McNabb, Nataxh Borota, Richard Walls, Robert Mackay, Terry Gallagher, Darryl Jagger, Robert Hudson, Jason Moore, Stephen Flatts, Janalene Kingshott, Michael Wright Jr., Sylvain Pion, Victoria Hammill, Shawn Rideout, Edna Black, Leanne McGiven, Linda Howard, Sarah Jan Lauzon, Jeffrey Maclaren, Michael Savoi, Kimberley Ito, Kerri Beauclaire, Kelli Edwards, Sean Coulthard, Amanda Erwin, Tyler Gaskin, Shawn Smith, Oral Barnes, Michael Huggins, Michael Pajak, Bryan Schoures.
2007 Trainer Testing
The following is the schedule of the Trainer and Assistant Trainer Testing schedule for 2007. All applications for testing must be completed and submitted to the HBPA no later than two weeks prior to the test date. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
Testing Schedule for 2007: April 25 - Fort Erie
- applications due April 11 May 23 - Woodbine
July 11 - Both Woodbine & Fort Erie Sept. 12 - Both Woodbine & Fort Erie For more information or to obtain your
application form contact the HBPA Backstretch Office at Woodbine 416-675-3802/ Fort Erie 905-871-3200, ext. 3249.