Ontario Sired Program Amendments

The Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) and the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA) have announced changes to the condition book affecting Ontario Sired horses for the remainder of the year.

WEG will continue to write races for OS maiden three-year-old races until August 1st, and at that time those races will be replaced with a race that combines open maiden $40,000 claiming with a protected OS maiden option. This race will be written for ages three years and up. OS horses running protected in this condition will still be eligible for the OS bonus of 20 per cent.

Since the opening of the 2016 meet, WEG officials, along with the HBPA, have been involved with discussions about the changes to the OS bonus program, which have been a cause of concern for breeders since they were announced at the beginning of the year. The consistent feedback received was that it was important that any planned revisions to the condition book for the remainder of the meet be announced as soon as possible.

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WEG and the HBPA will continue to evaluate the overnight racing program during the season, with the intent to engage stakeholders this fall to plan for the 2017 Woodbine racing season. Further, the Horse Improvement Program, the breed incentive program, is expected to be reviewed later this fall. The review will provide all affected stakeholders an opportunity to have input into the Program as it’s currently constructed, and consider any possible adjustments in future years.

In January of this year, WEG announced that changes would be made to its 2016 Thoroughbred condition book for overnight races, which would reduce OS program funding and see the cancellation of some restricted races.

Citing the exceeded expectations of the OS purse bonus and declining horse supply, WEG’s aim was to balance the 2015 OS program overpayment, fill races and maximize field size over the approved 133 date schedule for 2016. Accordingly, WEG announced it would reduce OS bonuses, eliminate maiden allowance OS races for three-year-olds, and only offer MSW OS races for three-year-olds until midsummer, and continue all season for the two-year-olds.

In February, in response to breeder outcry, WEG amended the proposed changes. The new changes would allow Ontario-sired maiden three-year-old races to continue until August 1st, followed by a review of that classification. In addition, the Ontario-sired non-winners of a race other than maiden or claiming would replace Ontario-sired non-winners of two races. This change would allow Ontario-sired maiden winners to win a claiming race and still be eligible for a second restricted win.