Pat Bullock

The appellants, a standardbred owner/trainer and an owner/trainer/driver, appealed Judges' Rulings suspending them for two years and imposing fines of $10,000 and $50,000 respectively for violations of the Rules of Standardbred Racing.

The violations involved a scheme of hidden ownership where racehorses were transferred to avoid the consequences of a suspension and child support enforcement proceedings.

The Ontario Racing Commission upheld the findings of liability, concluding the transfers were not bona fide and the appellants misled investigators.

However, the Commission allowed the appeal on penalty, reducing the suspensions to three months and the fines to $3,000 each, considering the appellants' ability to pay and the statutory public interest.

The appellant owner/trainer appealed a decision of the Industry Board of Appeal confirming the disqualification of his horse for causing interference during a race.

The Ontario Racing Commission reviewed video evidence and testimony from the stewards and jockeys, concluding that the appellant's horse impeded another horse, causing a chain reaction that resulted in a spill.

The appeal was dismissed and the disqualification affirmed.

A request by the Administration for a penalty for a frivolous appeal was denied by a majority of the panel.

Thoroughbred owner Richard Jukosky appealed the results of the 8th race at Woodbine Racetrack on September 28, 2003, in which his horse finished second and Dr. John Chandler's horse finished first.

After hearing evidence from several witnesses, the Ontario Racing Commission dismissed the appeal and confirmed the original order of finish.

The appellant, a standardbred owner and trainer, appealed a 30-day suspension and $1,000 fine for violating Rules 10.01(a) and (b) of the Rules of Standardbred Racing by possessing a hypodermic needle and injectables on the backstretch.

The Ontario Racing Commission dismissed the appeal, preferring the evidence of the security officer who witnessed the incident over the appellant's denials.

The Commission affirmed the penalty.

The appellant, a standardbred owner/trainer, appealed a Judges' Ruling that suspended her for 15 days and fined her $1,000 for a positive test for furosemide in a horse she trained.

At the hearing, the parties presented a joint submission on penalty.

The Ontario Racing Commission accepted the joint submission and varied the penalty to a 10-day full suspension and a $500 fine.