Anne Walker

The appellant, a horse trainer, appealed a 5-year suspension and $20,000 fine imposed after two of his horses tested positive for aminorex.

The Ontario Racing Commission Panel found that while the absolute liability rule for positive tests prevailed, the appellant had exercised due diligence and no causal link or source for the aminorex could be established.

Consequently, the Panel allowed the motion to vary the penalty, setting aside the suspension and eliminating the fine in its entirety, while placing the appellant on probation for six months to permit ongoing investigations and out-of-competition testing.

The appellant, a licensed driver, trainer, and owner, appealed rulings imposing a suspension, fine, and probation after his horse tested positive for an excess level of total carbon dioxide (TC02).

The parties presented an Agreed Statement of Facts and a Joint Submission on Disposition.

The Ontario Racing Commission accepted the joint submission, ordering a 45-day suspension (already served), a $2,500 fine ($1,000 stayed), and two years of probation with conditions including random searches and out-of-competition testing.

The appellant, a horse trainer, appealed penalties imposed after two horses tested positive for aminorex, a Class I drug.

The panel heard expert testimony that the only known source of aminorex, other than direct administration, was through levamisole, which was not implicated here.

Given the absolute liability rule but the lack of a determined source for the drug, the panel adjourned the appeal for six months to allow for further investigation into other potential causal links and alternative measures for dealing with aminorex positives.

A conditional stay of the penalties was granted in the interim.

The appellant, a licensed standardbred trainer, appealed a penalty imposed by track judges after two horses he trained tested positive for the Class II drug O-Desmethylvenlafaxine.

The appellant admitted the positive tests but argued he was not responsible and had exercised due diligence.

The Ontario Racing Commission panel found the appellant failed to meet the standard of care required by the trainer responsibility rule, noting he took no action despite observing symptoms in the horses and suspecting tampering.

The appeal was denied, and the original penalty of a $7,500 fine, a two-year suspension, and two years of probation was confirmed.

The appellant, a licensed horse trainer, appealed a one-year suspension, $5,000 fine, and two years' probation imposed after his horse tested positive for Ethanol, a Class II prohibited substance.

The appellant admitted to injecting the horse with vodka prior to a race to calm it down, but argued he was unaware of a recent notice regarding Ethanol testing and sought a reduced penalty based on a prior case involving procedural irregularities.

The Ontario Racing Commission denied the appeal, finding that Ethanol had been a prohibited substance since 2008, the appellant failed to exercise due diligence by administering an unapproved substance without veterinary advice, and there were no compelling reasons to vary the minimum penalty.

The appellant, a licensed standardbred owner and trainer, appealed the penalty imposed after his horse tested positive for furosemide (Lasix) following a race.

The appellant argued that the positive test resulted from a faulty perivascular injection by a veterinary technician, which caused a longer elimination time for the drug.

The Panel found that the appellant demonstrated due diligence, albeit with some limitations, and accepted veterinary evidence supporting the perivascular injection theory.

The appeal was denied, but the penalty was varied by upholding the 7-day suspension while waiving the $500 fine.

Four licensed horse trainers appealed rulings by the Stewards that imposed 15-day suspensions, $1,000 fines, and purse redistributions for violations of the Rules of Thoroughbred Racing.

Following a pre-hearing conference, the parties presented a joint submission on disposition.

The Ontario Racing Commission accepted the joint submission, ordering each appellant to pay a reduced fine of $900, while confirming the unplacing of the horses and the purse redistributions.

Carolyn Costigan, trainer of the horse Nancy O (IRE), appealed a decision of the Stewards regarding the 6th race at Woodbine Racetrack.

She alleged that another horse, Spring Venture, interfered with her horse at the start of the race, warranting a placing change.

The Ontario Racing Commission panel reviewed the video and heard testimony from the Stewards, jockeys, and trainers.

The panel found that the contact between the horses was incidental and did not warrant a placing change, noting that the appellant's jockey did not check his horse or claim a foul.

The appeal was dismissed.