WEG / Big M Integrity Rule Being Tweaked to Address Concerns
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Friday, January 12, 2018 WEG / Big M integrity rule being tweaked to address concerns Clay Horner said, ?the main concern that people had was ?don?t punish me if I haven?t done anything wrong? and, of course, that?s a very hard thing to disagree with.? The revised rule may deduct purse money from those that run afoul of the rule. by Dave Briggs In today?s HRU Monday?s January Select Sale page 5 Trace Tetrick gets hot, takes $25,000 Drivers Challenge page 8 Brower talks tonight?s Pick 5 carryover at the Big M page 10 Ask The Guru page 12 Dave Landry WEG chairman Clay Horner said he's currently talking to major industry players and crafting a tweak to his integrity rule. Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) chairman Clay Horner said the reaction he?s had to a new WEG / Meadowlands integrity rule (full story here) has been overwhelmingly positive, but there were enough serious concerns from some major industry players that the rule is now being tweaked. The language behind a revised rule could be available as early as next week. The original Standardbred Racing Integrity and Accountability Initiative (SRIAI) banned any trainer, horse or owner (with at least a 25 per cent stake in the horse with a positive) from participating in stakes races at Woodbine, Harness Racing Update | Page 1 | January 12, 2018 2018 PEPSI NORTH AMERICA CUP XXXV MAPLE LEAF TROT BATTLE OF WATERLOO Three-year-old open pace. Three-year-olds and older open trot. Ontario Sired Two-year-old open pace. Final raced on Saturday, June 16, 2018. Final raced on Saturday, September 1, 2018. Final raced on Monday, August 6, 2018. $1,000,000 Guaranteed Final Purse. Purse $600,000 E Final ($350,000 A). Purse $180,000 E Final ($90,000 A). ARMBRO FLIGHT METRO PACE BATTLE OF THE BELLES Three-year-olds and older fillies and mares trot. Two-year-old open pace. Ontario Sired Two-year-old filly pace. Final raced on Saturday, June 16, 2018. Final raced on Saturday, September 22, 2018. Final raced on Monday, August 6, 2018. Purse $255,000 E Final ($175,000 A). Purse $815,000 E Final ($300,000 A). Purse $120,000 E Final ($60,000 A). CANADIAN PACING DERBY MILTON CONFEDERATION CUP XL Three-year-olds and older open pace. Three-year-olds and older fillies and mares pace. Four-year-old open pace. Final raced on Saturday, September 1, 2018. Final raced on Saturday, September 22, 2018. Final raced on Sunday, May 20, 2018. Purse $615,000 E Final ($350,000 A). Purse $225,000 E Final ($150,000 A). Purse $175,000 E ($150,000 A). CANADIAN TROTTING CLASSIC NASSAGAWEYA BALANCED IMAGE Three-year-old open trot. Two-year-old open pace. Ontario Sired Two-year-old trotting fillies & Final raced on Saturday, September 15, 2018. Raced on Saturday, August 25, 2018. colts in 2018. Purse $685,000 E ($400,000 A). Purse $225,000 E ($60,000 A). Final raced on Saturday, August 25, 2018. Purse $50,000 E ($20,000 A). CASUAL BREEZE PEACEFUL WAY Three-year-old filly trot. Two-year-old filly trot. DREAM OF GLORY Raced on Friday, August 24, 2018. Final raced on Saturday, September 15, 2018. Ontario Sired Three-year-old trotting fillies & Purse $160,000 E ($60,000 A). Purse $375,000 E Final ($175,000 A). colts in 2018, non-winners of $75,000 (fillies $100,000) in 2017. ELEGANTIMAGE ROSES ARE RED Final raced on Saturday, August 4, 2018. Three-year-old filly trot. Three-year-olds and older fillies and mares pace. Purse $60,000 E ($40,000 A). Final raced on Saturday, September 15, 2018. Final raced on Saturday, June 16, 2018. Purse $385,000 E ($225,000 A). Purse $365,000 E Final ($225,000 A). KIN PACE Ontario Sired Three-year-old pacing fillies in ETERNAL CAMNATION SHES A GREAT LADY PACE 2018, non-winners of $50,000 in 2017. Two-year-old filly pace. Two-year-old filly pace. Final raced on Sunday, July 8, 2018. Raced on Saturday, August 25, 2018. Final raced on Saturday, September 22, 2018. Purse $60,000 E ($40,000 A). Purse $195,000 E ($60,000A). Purse $500,000 E Final ($250,000 A). FAN HANOVER SOMEBEACHSOMEWHERE REMINDER: Three-year-old filly pace. Three-year-old open pace. Final raced on Saturday, June 16, 2018. Raced on Saturday, June 2, 2018. SUSTAINING PAYMENTS DUE Purse $440,000 E ($275,000 A). Purse $140,000 E ($60,000 A). 2018 CHAMPLAIN OPEN 2018 CHAMPLAIN FILLY GOODTIMES WILLIAM WELLWOOD MEMORIAL Three-year-old open trot. Two-year-old open trot. 2018 & 2019 SIMCOE OPEN Final raced on Saturday, June 16, 2018. Final raced on Saturday, September 15, 2018. 2018 & 2019 SIMCOE FILLY Purse $250,000 E ($125,000 A). Purse $400,000 E Final ($175,000 A). 2018 & 2019 SBOA FILLY Please visit WoodbineEntertainment.com or contact Woodbine, Mohawk Park Race Office for detailed information: 905-854-7805 or 1-888-675-7223 (dial 1, extension 4306). WOODBINEENTERTAINMENT.COM/SBPAYMENTS Harness Racing Update New Image Media The new rule is designed to improve integrity at Mohawk Racetrack (above), the Meadowlands and three other racetracks. Mohawk, the Meadowlands, Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs in 2018 if they have been found by a racing regulatory agency to have tested positive for prohibited substances as defined within the Association of Racing Commissioners International Uniform Classification for Foreign Substances of Class I, II, TCO2 or steroids after Jan. 1, 2018. (Note: the original article in HRU failed to point out that in the case of Class II positives, owners, trainers and horses would only be subjected to a ban after two Class II positives). Last week, Horner further explained the original rule as follows, ?Say Owner A has a horse with Trainer A. If Trainer A has a positive test of one of these natures, then all of Owner A?s horses in which he or she owns 25 per cent or more are disqualified from future participation, regardless of who the partners are and regardless of who the trainer is. We want partners to say to their fellow partners, ?Look, I see that you?ve got horses with somebody that is riskier than the trainer that we have horses with together. It would be a terrible thing for there to be mistake, or something that?s done, that could impact us all here. And, in particular, for me to suffer that bad consequence because you weren?t careful and diligent in your choice of trainers.?? Harness Racing Update | Page 2 | January 12, 2018 Harness Racing Update Horner said Thursday that he was ?always open to argument that they would get all or substantially all of that changes? and the revised rule will be less ?Draconian." money and the bad partner would bear the consequences of ?I think the main concern that people had was ?don?t that,? Horner said. ?However, there?s a practical matter that if punish me if I haven?t done anything wrong? and, of course, the bad owner was paying for the care of the horse, then he that?s a very hard thing to disagree with,? Horner said, ?but might have a claim to some share, a reduced share of it. Then the trick was coming up with the way to make that happen we?d take the $33,000 and distribute all or substantially all and still achieve our objectives.? of it to the other horses that earned money in the race. Some people have suggested that the money should maybe go for He said the objectives behind the modified rule are: enhanced testing and other integrity initiatives. We haven?t 1. A rule that fosters greater bettor confidence. made a decision on that yet, but we think all or substantially 2. A rule that enhances the reputation of both harness racing, all of the withheld purse would go to the horses that were in general, and the tracks? premier events, specifically. otherwise finishing in the money? and that would be a 3. A rule that has a ?less-intrusive impact? on good owners further reward for what we?d call ?vigilant and safe owners.?? and good trainers. Horner said the majority of the feedback he received on 4. A rule that, although directly applied to stakes events, the original rule was, ?from people who just liked the idea would force owners to think about the trainers that they use that we?re going to really do something serious about for overnight horses, as well. integrity and people are really going to pay a price, not just talking about it? but there were some, not surprisingly, 5. A rule that gives new or prospective owners the significant players that were looking at things more confidence that there is a level playing field. intensely. They were invested in them and more public about ?The core principle (of the original rule was) that if a 25 making them clear.? per cent or greater partner had a positive on any of his On Wednesday, Horner spent 12 hours reaching out ?to the horses, then initially all of his horses would be out of the most significant players who have been voicing substantial stakes, which meant his other partners, who hadn?t done concerns or outright opposition to: a) tell them that we care anything wrong or been with a trainer who had done wrong and that we want and value their input, even those that had ? then all of those horses would be out of stakes races,? Horner said.