Ernest Nock

The Ontario Racing Commission heard an application from Georgian Downs Limited for a racetrack operator's licence and racing dates for the new Georgian Downs Raceway.

The Commission approved the application, granting the licence, 17 live race dates, and 61 intertrack and off-track dates.

The Commission also approved the cancellation of existing teletheatre licences for Barrie Raceway and their transfer to Georgian Downs Raceway.

The Ontario Racing Commission heard teletheatre applications from Flamboro Downs Raceway and Fort Erie Race Track.

The Commission granted a licence to Fort Erie for a site in Grimsby and to Flamboro for a site in Hamilton, but denied applications for sites in Welland and St. Catharines due to market saturation.

The Commission also made recommendations to the CPMA regarding the designation of exclusive Home Market Areas for teletheatres in the Hamilton and Niagara regions.

The Ontario Racing Commission convened to hear an application for a teletheatre licence from Flamboro Downs Raceway.

After hearing submissions from the applicant, Fort Erie Racetrack, and the Administration, the Commission approved the teletheatre licence for a site in Hamilton, Ontario, conditional upon Flamboro Downs advising the Administration of the opening date.

The appellant, a standardbred owner, driver, and trainer, appealed a judges' ruling that suspended him for 60 days and fined him $1,500 for a high TCO2 level in a horse he raced.

The Ontario Racing Commission heard testimony and dismissed the appeal, ratifying the penalty.

The Divisional Court remitted the issue of penalty for an equine drug offence back to the Ontario Racing Commission for rehearing.

The licensee brought a motion challenging the panel's jurisdiction under the new Racing Commission Act, 2000, which was dismissed.

Applying the Divisional Court's directive to treat the violation as a first offence under the new guidelines while still considering prior offences, the Commission imposed a 74-day suspension and a $1,000 fine.

The appellant jockey appealed two rulings of the Stewards suspending him for five days each for indiscriminate use and misuse of his whip, specifically for striking his mounts on the belly during two separate races.

The Ontario Racing Commission heard testimony from the Stewards, a veterinarian, a trainer, and the appellant.

The Commission dismissed the appeal but varied the penalty, reducing the suspension to a total of three days applicable to both violations.

The appellant appealed a Judges' Ruling that placed his horse 4th instead of 3rd for failing to lose ground on a break during a race.

The Ontario Racing Commission heard testimony and upheld the appeal, providing oral reasons.

The appellant, a standardbred licensee, appealed a suspension under Rule 6.38(e)(iii) of the Rules of Standardbred Racing.

The Ontario Racing Commission reinstated the appellant's licence subject to strict conditions, including the successful completion of a substance abuse program, weekly urine testing at his own expense, and mandatory participation in random testing at any track where he is present.

The appellant, a thoroughbred owner and trainer, appealed a Stewards' Ruling that suspended him for 30 days and fined him $1,000 after his horse tested positive for the prohibited drug cromoglycate.

The Ontario Racing Commission dismissed the appeal and confirmed the penalty.

The appellant, an apprentice jockey, appealed a Stewards' ruling that suspended him for 30 days for riding in an unsafe manner during a race.

The Ontario Racing Commission heard testimony from the stewards and other jockeys.

The Commission dismissed the appeal and confirmed the 30-day suspension.

The appellant, a standardbred owner, trainer, and driver, appealed a 30-day suspension and $1,000 fine for possessing needles and injectibles at Sudbury Downs Raceway.

The Ontario Racing Commission dismissed the appeal and upheld the penalty, directing the parties to agree on the commencement date of the suspension.

The appellants, thoroughbred owners, appealed the Ontario Racing Industry Board of Appeal's decision upholding the Stewards' disqualification of their horse for interference during a race.

The Ontario Racing Commission heard testimony from the Senior Steward, jockeys, and a trainer.

The Commission dismissed the appeal and upheld the disqualification, providing oral reasons.

Thoroughbred licensee Gary Boulanger appealed a decision of the Ontario Racing Industry Board of Appeal, which had upheld a three-day suspension imposed by the Stewards for misuse of his whip during a race.

The Ontario Racing Commission heard testimony from the Stewards, the jockey, and others.

The Commission allowed the appeal and provided oral reasons for its decision.

The appellant appealed a decision of the Ontario Racing Industry Board of Appeal, which had rescinded a five-day suspension imposed on the respondent for driving interference during a horse race.

The Ontario Racing Commission heard testimony, viewed the race video, and disallowed the appeal, restoring the decision of the Board of Appeal.

Fort Erie Racetrack applied for teletheatre licences in several locations.

The application for a location in St. Catharines was deferred pending input from the Ontario Harness Horse Association (OHHA) and further documentation.

OHHA subsequently advised it did not support the application but provided no reasons.

The Ontario Racing Commission noted that Flamboro Downs currently operates a teletheatre in St. Catharines, but found that the population of 130,000 could support two teletheatres.

The Commission approved the application, ruling that a licence would be issued once the applicant provided information on the proposed proprietor and the Administration was satisfied the application was complete.

A hearing was convened by the Administration of the Ontario Racing Commission regarding the respondent raceway's failure to comply with a previous ruling.

The Commission ordered the cancellation of race dates scheduled for late December 2001.

The respondent was also ordered to fulfill its commitment to spend $100,000 on a marketing campaign for its reopening, negotiate the use of an additional $30,000 commitment, and complete the installation of lighting improvements by June 30, 2001.

Fort Erie Racetrack applied for teletheatre licences for locations in Welland, Niagara Falls, and Grimsby.

At the hearing, Flamboro Downs Raceway brought a motion to adjourn the proceedings to allow for further negotiation among the parties to resolve underlying issues.

The Ontario Racing Commission unanimously granted the motion and adjourned the hearing to a peremptory date.

Hiawatha Horse Park applied to the Ontario Racing Commission to cancel 16 live race dates in April and December 2001.

The Commission approved the cancellation of only three race dates in early April to allow the track time to repair damage sustained in late December 2000.

The Ontario Racing Commission held a hearing to consider applications for 2001 live and intertrack racing dates.

The Commission approved the live and intertrack race dates and post times as applied for by various racetracks across Ontario, including Woodbine, Fort Erie, and Mohawk, totaling 1,702 live dates and 5,863 intertrack dates.

Elmira Raceway requested approval in principle from the Ontario Racing Commission to relocate its operations to a site in the Village of Elora.

After hearing submissions from various stakeholders, including the Ontario Harness Horse Association and other raceways, and reviewing letters of support and one objection, the Commission approved the proposed relocation in principle in accordance with the presented plans and tentative timetable.