New Claiming Rules, Workout Rules Among AGCO Revisions 2021

On Friday March 5, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission announced changes and revisions to the Rules of Racing for Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing effective April 6, 2021. These rule changes to the Thoroughbred and Standardbred Rules of Racing following consultation with horseperson representatives and racetrack management staff from across Ontario.

Most notable among the changes is a claiming rule in which horsepeople can race their horses in a claiming race first time off a layoff or first time in the jurisdiction without being offered for the claiming price.

Known as ‘waiver’ claiming (it is not known if this terminology will be used in the Ontario Thoroughbred condition books) the criteria is listed below.

Scroll to continue with content

Also new, horses off a layoff and first time starters must have additional workouts recorded before a race and a change to the 30-day rule, in which a licensed Ontario owner from the precious year can claim a horse rather than have to had raced a horse in the current year in the first 30 days.

Please be familiar with the entire Rule Book with changes notes.

Key Changes to Rules, 2021:

Type of ‘Waiver’ Claiming – Under specific criteria, including that a horse has not raced for 150 days in any jurisdiction, owners or their designates have the option to enter a horse in its first claiming race in Ontario in a given season without it being eligible to be claimed .

see 12.01.02:

12.01.02 A horse may be exempt from rule 12.01.01 if it meets the following criteria:

The horse has not raced in any jurisdiction in 150 days.
The claiming race in question is the horse’s first Ontario race of the current season;
The horse is entered for a claiming price equal to or greater than the price it last started for; and
At the time of entry into a claiming race, the owner or trainer has advised the Race Secretary that they are opting to declare a horse exempt from being claimed. Any failure to declare an exemption may not be remedied.
An Association shall note a declaration of exemption in the official program.

30-day rule – Owners who were licensed and stabled in Ontario in the previous year will be eligible to claim in the first 30 days of the current meet (see 12.01.03)

Entries and Starters
Any horse that is scratched after entering the paddock will maintain its original entry or run date under all conditions (see Rule 6.20 (m)).

If a Thoroughbred horse, other than a first-time starter, has not started in 90 days, it will need 2 works, one of at least a half-mile and another of at least a 3/8 mile that takes place within 30 days of the race for which it is entered. (see 6.35 (a). Note that this rule change does not apply to Quarter Horses.)

First-time starters and 2-year-old Thoroughbred horses will require 3 works to start, one that must be from the gate within 45 days of entry, and one of at least a 3/8 mile within 30 days of entry. (see 6.35 (b). Note that this rule change does not apply to Quarter Horses.)

Colours Registration
As announced in a January 17, 2020 Industry Notice, the AGCO no longer administers the registration of colours and sets out racetrack Association obligations if they opt to require the submission or registration of colours. (See Rule 3.20 and the deletion of Chapter 5: Colours)

Jockey Agents
A jockey agent may enter the winner’s circle without first obtaining permission of the Stewards if he or she is an owner of the winning horse. (See Rule 10.05)

General Language and Other Clean-up
As part of its ongoing effort to modernize and streamline the Rules of Racing, the AGCO is updating the language (e.g. adding the word synthetic to track surfaces) throughout the Rules to reflect current practice and terminology, and this rule change announcement includes several such instances.

~ with files from AGCO Racing