Joanne Mitchell

The appellant, a thoroughbred owner, appealed a decision of the Thoroughbred Industry Appeal Board that upheld the Stewards' decision to disqualify his horse from first position and place it eighth for alleged interference.

The Ontario Racing Commission panel viewed the videotape of the race, heard evidence from the Steward and jockeys, and allowed the appeal.

The purses were ordered to be distributed in accordance with the actual order of finish, restoring the appellant's horse to first place.

The respondent, a standardbred trainer and driver, was suspended by the Director of Racing for a violation related to prohibited substances.

Following a hearing before a panel of the Ontario Racing Commission, the panel ordered that the respondent be suspended from driving for six months.

The panel also imposed conditions on the respondent, including a requirement to enroll in a drug rehabilitation program, provide weekly urine samples, and submit to testing by the Commission's drug testing unit.

Thoroughbred trainer Jim Day appealed a decision of the Stewards disqualifying the horse Bubbi Trap for failing to carry the correct weight during a race.

The horse was required to carry 118 lbs but weighed in at 116 lbs due to an error by the Gaming Eligibility Clerk.

The Ontario Racing Commission dismissed the appeal, finding that under Rule 8.03, the horse failed to carry the correct weight over the entire distance of the race, and the 2 lb tolerance in Rule 8.05.1 did not apply to condition weights.

Emilio Davison appeared before the Ontario Racing Commission seeking reinstatement of his thoroughbred licence.

The Chair reinstated his licence subject to several conditions, including completion of a rehabilitation program, regular progress reports, weekly urine testing at his own expense, mandatory testing by the ORC drug testing unit, and abstention from all non-prescription drugs.

Thoroughbred Owner/Trainer Tom Marino appealed a ruling of the Thoroughbred Industry Appeal Board that upheld the Stewards' decision not to disqualify the horse BARBELLA for alleged interference during a race.

The Ontario Racing Commission dismissed the appeal after hearing testimony from stewards, jockeys, and owners.

Jockey Constant Montpellier appealed a decision of the Thoroughbred Industry Appeal Board upholding a three-day suspension for violating TB Rule 9.01 by failing to demonstrate the best and fastest race his mount was capable of.

The Ontario Racing Commission dismissed the appeal, finding that the jockey committed an error in judgment that prevented his mount from demonstrating its best race, but varied the penalty to a one-day suspension.

The appellant association appealed a Divisional Court decision dismissing its application for judicial review.

The respondent race track owner had excluded certain licensed members of the appellant from racing at its track, citing private property rights.

The Ontario Racing Commission declined jurisdiction to hold a hearing on the matter, believing it could not interfere with private property rights.

The Court of Appeal allowed the appeal, holding that the Commission's broad statutory powers to govern and regulate horse racing in the public interest necessarily included the power to make decisions that incidentally affect private property rights.

The Commission was directed to hold a hearing.

Rexdale Stables and John Cardella appealed a ruling of the Thoroughbred Industry Appeal Board, which found that a jockey's whip contacted the nose of another horse, violating TB Rule 11.09.2.

The Board had amended the official order of finish to place the offending horse second.

The Ontario Racing Commission panel heard evidence from the steward, owners, and jockeys, and dismissed the appeal by a majority decision, confirming the amended order of finish.

Standardbred owner Deborah Critchell appealed a ruling by the Ontario Racing Commission Judges that suspended the horse QUICKSTEP BLUECHIP pending an investigation into its bona fide ownership.

The Ontario Racing Commission panel heard evidence and disallowed the appeal, upholding the suspension.

Oral reasons were provided.

Standardbred driver/trainer Sandy Jones appealed a decision of the Standardbred Industry Appeal Board upholding a five-day driving suspension for indiscriminate whip use.

The Ontario Racing Commission panel heard evidence and dismissed the appeal, providing oral reasons.

Driver/Trainer Sandy Jones appealed a decision of the Standardbred Industry Appeal Board upholding a ten-day driving suspension for driving in a careless or reckless manner.

The Ontario Racing Commission panel heard evidence and dismissed the appeal, with reasons given orally.

The appellants, a thoroughbred trainer and two owners, appealed a ruling that fined the trainer $1,000 and ordered the return of second-place purse monies after their horse failed to attend the TCO2 testing area.

The Ontario Racing Commission panel upheld the $1,000 fine against the trainer but ordered that the second-place purse monies be distributed to the owners.

The applicant requested a hearing before a panel of the Ontario Racing Commission to be reinstated as an Association Official in accordance with Standardbred Ruling 137/2001.

After hearing evidence and submissions, the panel declined to reinstate her licence.

Jockey Michael McMullen appealed a decision of the Thoroughbred Industry Appeal Board which upheld a three-day suspension for interfering with another horse during a race.

The Ontario Racing Commission heard evidence and allowed the appeal, delivering its reasons orally.

The trainer, owner, and jockey appealed Stewards' rulings regarding the entry of an ineligible horse, ALLSTAR ZIPPER, which won a race but was disqualified for lacking a qualifying work within 30 days.

The trainer also appealed a $200 fine for entering the ineligible horse.

The Ontario Racing Commission allowed the appeal of the fine but disallowed the appeal of the disqualification and loss of purse money.

Thoroughbred owner Robert Saviola and trainer Don Macrae appealed the decision of the ORC Stewards to declare the 9th race at Fort Erie Racetrack on September 16, 2001, as a dead heat.

The Ontario Racing Commission panel allowed the appeal, determining that the proper order of finish was Nabethian first and Sweeping Eva second.

Owner/Driver/Trainer David Duncan appealed a Standardbred Racing Industry Appeal Board decision that upheld a three-day suspension for a driving violation under Standardbred Rule 22.13.

The Ontario Racing Commission heard the appeal and testimonies from the parties.

The Commission allowed the appeal, with oral reasons provided on the record.

The appellant, a thoroughbred jockey, appealed a decision of the Ontario Thoroughbred Racing Industry Appeal Board upholding a three-day suspension for interfering with another horse during a race.

The Ontario Racing Commission panel heard testimony from an ORC Steward and the appellant.

The panel dismissed the appeal and upheld the suspension, with the suspension days agreed upon by the parties.

Jockey Emile Ramsammy was summonsed by the Ontario Racing Commission Administration to testify at an appeal hearing but failed to appear.

A panel convened to consider his non-attendance.

After reviewing the summons and hearing submissions from counsel, the panel fined Mr. Ramsammy $1,000 pursuant to Thoroughbred Rule 24.01(d) for failing to attend and provide testimony when properly summonsed.

The appellant jockey appealed a decision of the Ontario Thoroughbred Racing Industry Appeal Board upholding a 3-day suspension for striking his mount on the head during a race.

The Ontario Racing Commission heard the appeal, reviewed videotape evidence, and dismissed the appeal, upholding the suspension.