News

Thumbnail for Speightsong Hits a High Note in Queenston

Speightsong Hits a High Note in Queenston

Sam-Son Farm’s well-bred Speightsong, with Patrick Husbands aboard, made every pole a winning one, taking the featured $150,000, seven furlong Queenston Stakes for Canadian-bred three-year-olds, Saturday at Woodbine. Sent postward a prohibitive 3-5 choice in the six-horse field, Speightsong, a homebred product of Speightstown-Song of the Lark, clicked off fractions of 23.21 and 45.89. Turning […]
Thumbnail for NYRA to Permit Equine Nasal Strips

NYRA to Permit Equine Nasal Strips

The three Stewards at Belmont Park unanimously agreed, On May 19th, to allow the use of equine nasal strips for all horses running at racetracks of The New York Racing Association, Inc (NYRA), effective immediately. California Chrome will be permitted to use nasal strips when he competes at the 146th Belmont Stakes on June 7, […]
Thumbnail for Phil’s Dream Sprints Clear in New Providence

Phil’s Dream Sprints Clear in New Providence

Phil’s Dream, last year’s Sovereign Award winner as Canada’s outstanding male sprinter, sprinted up the rail to win Monday’s Victoria Day feature, the $125,000 New Providence Stakes, at Woodbine. Trained by Paul Buttigieg for his Buttigieg Training Centre, Phil’s Dream was bet down to 3-5 in the field of seven Ontario-sired runners and ran to […]
Thumbnail for Alex Atamanenko Disappointed by Bill C-571 Vote

Alex Atamanenko Disappointed by Bill C-571 Vote

Alex Atamanenko, MP (BC Southern Interior) issued the following statement in Ottawa regarding parliament’s defeat last night of his Bill C-571 through which he hoped to overhaul the horsemeat industry in the interests of food safety: “I am very dismayed that my Bill C-571 did not get quite enough support in Parliament to pass on […]
Thumbnail for Bill C-571 is Voted Down in House of Commons

Bill C-571 is Voted Down in House of Commons

Private member’s bill C-571, which sought to amend the Meat Inspection Act and the Safe Food for Canadians Act, was defeated in the House of Commons May 14th, with 102 votes in favour and 155 against. Introduced by NDP MP Alex Atamanenko of British Columbia Southern Interior, the bill was intended to place restrictions on […]
Thumbnail for Meydan to Replace Tapeta Surface with Dirt

Meydan to Replace Tapeta Surface with Dirt

The Board of Directors of the Meydan Group have decided that the synthetic racing surface, installed for the opening of the racecourse in 2010, will be replaced with a traditional dirt track. The track will be ready for the opening of the 2014-15 racing season. Saeed H. Al Tayer, Chairman and CEO of the Meydan […]
Thumbnail for Hasting’s Hosts Horsemens Meetings

Hasting’s Hosts Horsemens Meetings

Hastings Racecourse, General Manager, Darren MacDonald called two meetings yesterday to show a open door policy to horsemen with the racing office to discuss relevant issues pertaining to the 2014 Live Season at Hastings. The race office official met with the Jockey Agents during the first meeting and it was a very fruitful meeting with […]
Thumbnail for Wild Catomine Prevails in Fury

Wild Catomine Prevails in Fury

Wild Catomine outdueled Hot and Spicy and the favoured Lexie Lou in a spirited three-pronged stretch run to capture Saturday’s $150,400 Fury Stakes, at Woodbine. Trained by Mark Casse for owner John Oxley, Wild Catomine arrived at the seven furlong ‘Poly’ stake for three-year-old Ontario-bred fillies off of a winning debut on April 19 in […]
Thumbnail for ‘Sharp’ Performance Wins Vigil

‘Sharp’ Performance Wins Vigil

Richard and Nancy Kaster’s homebred Really Sharp lived up to his name with a brave stretch run to hold off favoured Occasional View in Sunday’s $153,400 Grade 3 Vigil Stakes, at Woodbine. Trained by Ian Black and expertly ridden by Steve Bahen, the four-year-old chestnut son of Sharp Humor made his first added-money score a […]
Thumbnail for Racing Conference Calls for International Anti-Corruption Collaboration

Racing Conference Calls for International Anti-Corruption Collaboration

Horseracing is leading the field when it comes to integrity and fighting corruption in almost all sports world-wide, but there is no room for complacency and, in an ever-changing technological landscape, international co-operation must be the way forward. That was the message from the 35th Asian Racing Conference on May 8th, when a panel of […]
Thumbnail for A Canadian Link to European Horse Meat Scandal

A Canadian Link to European Horse Meat Scandal

Dutch meat trader Jan Fasen, who worked for Draap Trading, the company at the centre of last year’s European horse meat scandal, is currently in custody as subject of a meat-labelling fraud investigation. The charges stem from an incident in which horse meat from Romania found its way into numerous frozen ground beef products in […]
Thumbnail for OHRIA Responds to Auditor General Report

OHRIA Responds to Auditor General Report

The Ontario Horse Racing Industry Association (OHRIA) was not surprised by the findings contained in the Auditor General’s Report on the Ontario Lottery and Gaming’s (OLG’s) Modernization Plan considering the devastation the horse racing and breeding industry has endured since the cancellation of the Slots at Racetracks Program (SARP). “It is troubling when your own […]
Thumbnail for Confirmed Case of EHV-1 at Assiniboia Downs

Confirmed Case of EHV-1 at Assiniboia Downs

The Manitoba Horse Racing Commission has issued a release confirming a case of neurological Equine Herpes Virus-1 (EHV-1) at Assiniboia Downs, a racetrack located in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The ORC is closely monitoring the situation. While the quarantine at Assiniboia is in effect, trainers of horses that have been on the grounds of this track since […]
Thumbnail for OLG Modernization Plan “Overly Optimistic,” Auditor General says in Special Report

OLG Modernization Plan “Overly Optimistic,” Auditor General says in Special Report

A 2012 plan to modernize the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) and generate higher profits for the province was “overly ambitious” and “overly optimistic,” Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk said in a Special Report released today. The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation’s Modernization Plan Special Report also found that the “abrupt cancellation” of a program […]
Thumbnail for Hastings Opening Day

Hastings Opening Day

  The skies cleared about 1:00pm on Sunday at Hastings Racecourse and the race goers poured in for what appeared to be the largest opening day crowd in many, many years. General Manager, Darren MacDonald in his first year as G.M of the East Hastings Oval was grinning from ear to ear as the handle […]