Reaction: First Day of New Urging Rules Experiment

Friday’s races at Woodbine introduced the new urging rules put in place on an experimental basis by Woodbine, AGCO and the HBPA Ontario. (Click here to read the full directive)

Woodbine is the first track to implement underhand whipping only; the jockey is not allowed to hit the horse with the whip in the cocked position. The previous rules still apply (no raising whip over should height and allowing for response after three strikes)

There is no question that from watching the races on Friday that it looks and somewhat awkward for riders but aesthetically pleasing which will go a long way to temper judgement of the public based on flailing whips on horses that are not in contention, in last place, etc.

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The general consensus from an informal poll of owners, trainers and riders?

*Woodbine is getting a head start on something that is going to happen eventually. The public is getting a great deal of bad images of horse racing in 2019 and while it is not all riders, the old habit of the flailing whip must be eliminated

*When is the US and other parts of the world going to employ this in racing and at 2-year-old horse sales?

*Grace period of 2 weeks probably may lead to some riders trying to adhere to rules, while others may not.

*Some tweaking may be needed as far as whip shape/length

Canadian Thoroughbred was on site to get reaction from riders, bettors and owners and trainers:

Gary Boulanger, veteran jockey: rode Brutus who won first race of the day, rallied from off the pace:

“You gotta think your way around there, you have to have to pay attention, remember ‘don’t cock, don’t cock’.

[Brutus] is one of those horses – he really likes it, I know he does. You tap and he’s responding so you’re riding but David [Moran] on the grey horse [Warrior’s Heart], you could see his horse was just staying in a gear and he thinks that if he could have hit him he might have gone on. I rode that horse last time and he’s one that you need to ride hard.”

It’s so second nature to us, you’re teaching an old dog a new trick.”

When asked if he thought there was a big adjustment in changing from the current/previous urging rules (not over shoulder height, three strikes and then allow for response), Boulanger said this will be a harder adjustment.

“Unless you were really a machine gun type whipper [the three whips and then allow for response rule] didn’t really affect you. This is harder.”

John Burness of Colebrook Farms voiced his thoughts about the length of the whips being too short for underhanded whipping, how it will affect older horses

“I think over the years that I have been involved I would say that definitely some horses you need some urging. Obviously other ones don’t. If you take that away from those horses, especially the older horses, they are not going to perform like they did before.

These lads are only 115 pounds, I know they are strong but there is a difference [between hitting underhanded and raising it up].

I think we came a long way from what we were as far as the whipping goes. Now this is the next stage. It’s the way of the world.

As long as everybody else in the world follows it – we’re the first ones to try it – I don’t know why.

My question is, if there is so much criteria then why didn’t they try it at Santa Anita? That is the track that is having all the problems.

If you’re going to start, you start with young horses so that that is what they learn and get used to.

The whips today are not the whips we had before. If we still had the longer whips with [poppers] then that would be fine. The whips now are shorter, there is nothing on the end, it just makes noise. It doesn’t do anything.”

Rafael Hernandez, battling for leading rider at Woodbine, preferred not to comment and was obviously unhappy with the experiment. He did win two races on the card.

Rick, former owner, professional bettor:

“The horses came from behind and finished strong [in the first two races]. It was good. It won’t change my handicapping.”

John, regular player, industry member, horse lover

If you want new rules, why 2 week grace period. Riders know they can get away with it and if they lose because they could not whip, they lose money. For me and a lot of people who play WO casually, they will not get one dime.