The Alberta Breeders’ Fall Classic weekend on September 17th and 18th had a good crowd in attendance to watch over 50 horses compete for $350,000 in purse money on race day Saturday along with a ‘Made in Alberta’ marketplace followed by the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (CTHS) Alberta Division sale on Sunday bringing in over half a million dollars.

The Fall Classic races on Saturday were a great lead in to sale day as six of the seven races were won by CTHS Alberta sale graduates! The last race on the day, the Alberta Premier’s Futurity, was presented by Alberta Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Oneil Carlier to the connections of undefeated multiple stakes winner Norm’s Big Bucks. Thank you to the sponsors of the Fall Classic races – True North Holdings Inc, Red Diamond Stable, Highfield, Peaceful Valley Stable, White Windows Thoroughbreds and Horse Racing Alberta.

The 2016 Thoroughbred sale was held on Sunday in the EXPO Centre at Northlands and offered buyers the opportunity to bid on their own potential stakes winning horse from the 100 quality yearlings on offer.

$51,000 was the price paid by Riversedge Racing Stable for Hip #75, the top selling yearling in this year’s CTHS Alberta Sale. Bred and consigned by Highfield, the dark brown filly by Exhi out of Fabulous Brush is a full sibling to the 2015 sale topper and stakes winner, Norm’s Big Bucks. Exhi is a stakes winner of over $800,000 and also sired Alberta runner and multiple stakes winner Victory Day. The son of Maria’s Mon currently sits in second spot on the Bloodhorse list of 2016 Canada leading second crop sires.

Results from the yearling portion of the 2016 sale show a total of 62 yearlings sold for $511,700 down 27% from $716,300 for 63 sold in 2015. The average yearling price this year of $8,253 is down 27% from the 2015 average of $11,369. The 2016 Alberta sales numbers are similar to earlier results from CTHS Alberta sales prior to 2015 and 2014 and in alignment with the downward trend found at the British Columbia and Ontario CTHS sales this year.

The top selling yearling is an Alberta bred! Owners of Alberta bred thoroughbreds have the opportunity to share in additional bonus money through the Owners Breeding Support portion of the Alberta Breed Improvement Program. In 2016, $1,204,815 is available to be paid to the owners of winning Alberta bred race horses.

For more information, please contact:

Jean Kruse, Manager - Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (Alberta Division)
#218, 1935 – 32nd Avenue N.E.
Calgary, Alberta  T2E 7C8
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
www.cthsalta.com
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The Rules Governing Horse Racing in Alberta currently require all racing participants to have workers' compensation or "WCB":

Rule 100 Insurance and Other Coverage

1) A person who has a license in a horse-related occupation on their payroll as an employee at a "race track must, during their employment

a) ensure the employee is properly covered for worker's compensation under the Workers Compensation Act, or

b) if the Act does not apply, with such disability and liability insurance as is acceptable to the judges/stewards board, or both

2) A "trainer or other person shipping-in "race horses from outside Alberta must satisfy the judges/stewards board that their employees have coverage equivalent to the coverage described in subsection {1). (at page 37)

Horse Racing Alberta will be enforcing the requirement that employees in a horse related occupation have WCB coverage. Current License holders should ensure they are in compliance. In the future, in order to successfully obtain a License in Alberta, all applicants are required to:

(1) provide their employer's WCB number, or

(2) if the Act does not apply, provide appropriate proof on insurance coverage as is acceptable to the judges/stewards board.

WCB is compulsory for businesses involved in the following activities:

• horse ownership,
• horse training operations,
• riders/jockeys while performing duties other than competing, such as feeding, training, exercising, and general horse care,
• related transportation of horses, and
• operation, maintenance and cleaning of barns, stables, corrals, pastures, and training facilities {e.g. race tracks, show jumping courses, riding trails, etc.).

More information on WCB premiums for horse racing related businesses can be found at the following link:

https://my.wcb.ab.ca/rm/wcb.ratemanual.webserver/lndustryDescription.aspx?ID=1206

The Alberta Horse Racing Rules are AMENDED as follows:

Chapter 3: General Horse Racing Rules, Division 5 Race Day — After the Race.

The following rule is AMENDED to read:

Rule 268 g Repeat of tests

If a licensee is found culpable by the judge/stewards board with respect to a positive test for a prohibited drug in a horse under the licensee 's care, the licensee may, at their own expense, arrange for the mandatory three tests to be repeated at a laboratory accredited by a recognized national accrediting body under ISO/IEC 17025, and is also known as a laboratory that does analysis on equine samples, on any residue of the urine, blood, or saliva originally tested, if in the opinion of the official laboratory that has handled the initial testing

(a) there is sufficient quantity of the residue remaining for a proper test to be conducted, and

(b) the sample has not suffered degradation to the extent that the retesting results would be inconclusive.

(2) Once a test of a sample has been requested, any movement of that sample is under the control of Horse Racing Alberta, the Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency and the official laboratory that handled the initial testing.

(3) A request for the release of an official sample residue must be made by the Originator (owner or trainer} to the Provincial Regulatory Body within 21 calendar days from the date of issue indicated on the Certificate of Positive Analysis. All requests are to be made in writing and must include the name and address of the chosen referee laboratory along with payment in full for shipping and handling related to the transportation of the sample residue to the referee laboratory. Requests must also include confirmation that the referee laboratory will accept and analyze the sample for the drug indicated in the Certificate of Positive Analysis.

Rule 268 g previously stated:

If a licensee is found culpable by the judges/stewards board with respect to a positive test for a prohibited drug in a horse under the licensee's care, the licensee may, at their own expense, arrange for the mandatory three tests to be repeated at a federally accredited laboratory, approved by Horse Racing Alberta, in the presence of the licensee's witnesses, on any residue of the urine, blood, or saliva originally tested, if in the opinion of the official laboratory that has handled the initial testing.

(3) A request for retesting of a sample must be submitted to the judges/stewards board no later than 45 days after the licensee has been advised of the positive findings, and must be accompanied by sufficient funds to cover all aspects of the retesting procedures.

Dated at the City of Edmonton in the Province of Alberta this 1 day of August, 2016

Rick LeLecheur, Chairman
Horse Racing Alberta

The Rules Governing Horse Racing in Alberta, Chapter 3: General Horse Racing Rules,

Part 6 Standardbred Racing Division 7 Driving Rules.

The following Rule 458 s and Directive No. 082 - 2015 is AMENDED as follows:

Rule 458 s Obligations of driver

1. A driver violates these rules if the driver

a. fails to obey the starter's instructions;

b. wilfully backs off the starting gate after having been in position;

c. allows another horse to pass needlessly on the inside, or commits any other act that helps another horse to improve its position;

d. takes up or slows up in a manner in front of other horses so as to cause confusion or interference among the trailing horses;

e. lays off a normal pace and leaves a hole when it is well within the horse's capacity to keep the hole closed;

f. drives in a careless, reckless or unsatisfactory manner;

g. fails to set or maintain a pace comparable to the class in which the driver is racing, considering the track conditions, weather and circumstances in the race;

h. fails to properly contest an excessively slow pace having regard to the horse's ability , track conditions, weather and circumstances confronted in the race;

i. backs off from any position and subsequently comes on when challenged;

j. fails to report an interference or any other infraction that occurs during a race and was noticed by the driver;

k. lodges a claim of foul, violation of these or any other rules, objection or complaint which the judges board considers frivolous;

I. drives a horse in a manner that prevents the driver from winning a race;

m. drives a horse to perpetrate or aid in a fraud or corrupt practice;

n. drives a horse in an inconsistent manner;

o. uses a whip exceeding 3 feet 9 inches in length plus a snapper that is longer than 6 inches in length, or is of a colour not clearly visible and acceptable to the board of judges;

p. uses a whip or crop in a brutal, excessive or indiscriminate manner;

q. kicks a horse or allows their foot to come into contact with a horse by having their foot out of a stirrup;

r. uses a whip to interfere with or cause disturbance to any other horse or driver;

s. strikes a wheel disc with a whip.

2. Whipping violations

a. The use of the whip shall be confined to the areas above and between the sulky shafts, The one handed use of the whip shall be limited to the striking of the shafts of the sulky or the saddle pad ;

b. Using the whip in a one handed striking motion when, in the opinion of the judges, it does not appear that the horse is advancing its position in the race or is not in contention;

c. Any blatant or exaggerated movements of the whipping arm which will result from raising the elbow above the driver's shoulder height or allowing the hand holding the whip to reach behind the driver while striking with the whip;

d. Whipping under the arch or shafts of the sulky, using the whip as a goading or poking device, or placing the whip between the legs of the horse;

e. Whipping after the finish of the race;

f. Causing visible injury to the horse by leaving welts, cuts or other marks resulting from the use of the whip;

g. Excessive use of the whip is prohibited and one handed whipping is restricted as follows:

a. Drivers are prohibited from using the whip in a one handed striking motion from the start of the race until the horse reaches the ¼ mile pole .

b. From the 1/4-mile pole until the horse reaches the 7/8 mile pole, the driver may strike the shaft of the sulky or saddle pad in a one handed motion for maximum of 3 strikes, but must pause after each strike (no repetitive whipping).

c. Once the horse has reached the 7/8 mile pole, the driver may, in one handed motion, strike the shaft of the sulky or the saddle pad in a reasonable and responsible manner, no more than 3 strikes.

(The term "Striking the horse" or "one handed striking motion" shall not be construed as to mean a light tapping with the whip, at any point in the race, while maintaining a line in each hand.)

Any person found in violation of this Rule will be subject to penalties as contained in and authorized by Horse Racing Alberta.

Rule 458 s and Directive No. 182 - 2015 previously stated:

(q) (deleted) butt ends, punches, or jabs a horse;

(t) (deleted) uses a whip

(i) On or below the level of the shafts or the seat of the sulky;

(ii) between the legs of the horse, or

(iii) in an unconventional manner;

(v) {deleted) fails to keep a hand in each hand hold from the time the horses are called for the race by the starter until the finish of the race. The hand holds must be adjusted so the lines are tight at all times. Whipping is limited to wrist action with minimal shoulder and elbow movement.

Dated at the City of Edmonton in the Province of Alberta this 15 day of August, 2016

Rick Lelecheur, Chairman
Horse Racing Alberta

It has come to the Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency's (CPMA) attention that the legitimate use of human prescription drugs by people handling racehorses can be a source of drug exposure for the horses that could, consequently, result in a positive drug test.

Human urine is a proven source of drug exposure for racehorses. And although not proven at this time, exposure could also be to drugs directly, through human saliva or via unwashed hands. In the interest of accuracy and to reduce unintended positive drug tests, the CPMA therefore strongly discourages people from urinating or spitting in horse stalls, and recommends that all people who handle racehorses wash their hands immediately after contact with, or consumption of, medications, and avoid bringing human prescription medications into barns whenever possible.

Sincerely,
Steve Suttie
Executive Director
Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency

Policy Statement

In the interest of fairness and transparency, the Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency (CPMA) will release sample residue, when available, for independent analysis (herein called "referee analysis") when a request is made within 21 calendar days from the date of issue of the Certificate of Positive Analysis.

Issue

When an owner or trainer has been issued a Certificate of Positive Analysis, they may wish to obtain a referee analysis of any existing sampler residue. This policy paper describes the time limitation and process requirements by which the CPMA will authorize the release of existing residue of an official sample.

Decision

The CPMA provides a sample residue release program to owners or trainers of race horses that have been issued a Certificate of Positive Analysis and would like a referee analysis performed on the sample. Provided there is residue of the sample, CPMA will retain the official sample for up to 21 calendar days during which time the owner or trainer (the Originator) may make a request in writing for the release of the sample residue.

A request for the release of an official sample residue must be made by the Originator to the Provincial Regulator Body (PRB) within 21 calendar days from the date of issue indicated on the Certificate of Positive Analysis. All requests are to be made in writing and must include the name and address of the chosen referee laboratory and include confirmation that the referee laboratory will accept and analyze the sample for the drug indicated in the Certificate of Positive Analysis. Also, payment in full must be received within 21 calendar days by the official laboratory for the shipping and handling related to the transportation of the sample residue to the referee laboratory.

The CPMA will only accept requests that meet the above requirements. Sample residue will be destroyed if a completed request is not received and payment for shipping and handling has not been made within the 21 calendar days.

Explanation

The CPMA is under no obligation to ensure that sample residue is available for referee analysis. Where the Official Laboratory has used the entire official sample during their analysis, the Originator and PRB are notified at the time of the request that no residue is available for a referee analysis. They may, however, request the container(s) that held the official sample."

An official sample that has been classified as positive and has existing residue may only be released to the Originator for referee analysis as it relates to issuance of the Certificate of Positive Analysis. All costs associated for shipping and handling are to be paid to Maxxam Analytics International Corporation (Maxxam) by the Originator before the end of the 21 calendar days.

Appendix "A" outlines the roles and responsibilities of each party involved and the sequence of events to be followed should an official sample be released.

Appendix "B" provides a step-by-step guideline for the Originator. As mentioned, the Originator is responsible for all costs associated with the process and for identifying a laboratory that is willing and able to conduct the referee analysis. Consequently, the costs associated for the referee laboratory analysis, results and report is the responsibility of the Originator.

Additional Information

The CPMA recommends that referee laboratories be accredited by a recognized national accrediting body under ISO/IEC 17025, and is also known as a laboratory that does analysis on equine samples. It should also be noted that not all accredited laboratories offer the same scope of testing. The persons seeking referee laboratory analysis is responsible for confirming the referee laboratory's eligibility and willingness to test for s particular drug or substance before making shipping arrangements

There is the possibility that the results from the referee analysis m ay differ from the original analysis. There are many factors that may affect the stability or integrity of a drug or substance found in an official sample, such as:

• The drug's stability and deterioration rate may vary in a blood sample relative to a urine sample;
• The referee laboratory may not be accredited under ISO/IEC 17025;
• The referee laboratory may use a different method of analysis;
• Samples may also deteriorate rapidly, hindering the detectability of the drug; and
• Circumstances beyond the control of the Official Laboratory, such as power failures and the possibility of degradation of the drug, blood or urine, may render re-analysis for the drug impossible.

The field for the 2016 Western Regional Driving Championship, scheduled for Sunday, June 26 at Century Downs Racetrack and Casino has been confirmed.

The participating drivers are:

Alberta Drivers

• Travis Cullen
• Phil Giesbrecht
• Mike Hennessy
• Dave Kelly

British Columbia Drivers

• Brandon Campbell
• Paul Davies
• Jim Marino

Manitoba Driver

• Don Howlett

This is the first time the Western Regional has been hosted in Alberta.  In 2014, Fraser Downs in Surrey, BC presented the qualifying event which was won by Brandon Campbell, who advanced to the National Championship along with runner-up Jim Marino.

“We are looking forward to hosting this event at Century Downs,” said Jackson Wittup, Racing Secretary for Century Downs, “We’ve got a good mix of veteran talent combined with some new younger faces.  I believe that the average age of the eight drivers is the youngest we’ve ever had in Regional competitions.”  Six of the eight drivers are under 35 years of age, and the youngest driver is 23-year-old Travis Cullen.

Drivers will receive points based on their finishing position and the top two drivers from the eight-race competition will join six other drivers at the 2016 National Driving Championship scheduled for Friday, October 14 at The Raceway at Western Fair District, in London, Ontario.

The draw for the Western Regional will be an “open” draw as approved by Horse Racing Alberta. Any participating drivers who enter horses that they train and or own for any of the Regional Driving Champonship Races fully understand that they may not end up drawing their own horses to drive in the RDC races.

“I would like to thank Horse Racing Alberta for allowing us to have an “open draw” as it now becomes a true Drivers Challenge. I think the competition will be very interesting to both the racing industry and the handicappers for this one day change to the rules,” commented Wittup, “Good luck to all participants and I look forward to seeing who goes to the National Championship in London in October.”

Invitations were extended to drivers based on several criteria including their 2015-16 win statistics on their circuit.  Drivers also had to confirm their availability for the National Driving Championship date and the World Driving Championship dates in order to take part in the Regional Driving Championship

The winner of the NDC will represent Canada in harness racing's 2017 World Driving Championship, hosted by Standardbred Canada in concert with the World Trotting Conference in August.

Effective January 1, 2016

Anyone receiving a positive for RACTOPAMINE in the province of Alberta up to this date will not have to declare it on their licence renewal application.

Moving forward, a RACTOPAMINE positive will be dealt with as a CLASS 2 drug, as stated in the RCI Guidelines.

Doug Fenske
Manager of Racing Supervision & Security
December 18, 2015

A Circuit Only
Effective May 18, 2015

In the case of a race of less than 4 furlongs, one qualifying workout within 45 days of the race for which it is entered is required.

Doug Fenske
Manager of Racing Supervision and Security

'Pickles On Top' will be entering the ring as Hip #43 this Friday, September 4 at the 2015 ASHA Yearling Sale held in Olds, Alberta.  “Pickles On Top” was the winning name submission in the 2014 “Name That Foal” contest sponsored by Meridian Farms and ASHA.  Six-year-old Rachel Ratsoy, of Edmonton, was the creative little girl behind the name.  We are excited as this is the first yearling to enter the sales ring from the “Name That Foal” contest states ASHA Sales Coordinator Orianna Scheck. 

In addition, Bill Andrew from Meridian Farms is graciously donating 100 percent of “Pickles On Top” sale bid to charity after payment of sales commission, entry fee and GST.  25% will be given to the Olds & District Hospice Society, 25 % to the Olds & District Christmas Angels and 50% will be divided equally between 4 Alberta rescue and retirement groups for Standardbreds.  All of these groups will be in attendance at the ASHA sale including young Rachel Ratsoy which makes it even more special says Scheck.  Bill Andrew has always been a big supporter in our harness racing and breeders industry here in Alberta and we thank him for his continued generosity and backing.

‘Pickles On Top’ is an Alberta sired filly from the good Alberta Sire ‘Camystic’ who has produced top fillies like Credit Card Junkie, Mystic Maiden and Nighttraintovegas.  ‘Pickles’ stakes winning dam ‘Real Chop’ was no stranger to the racetrack taking a two-year-old record of 1:54.3.  Real Chop’s full brother ‘Veal Marsala’ took a record of 1:49 while amassing $590,000 in lifetime earnings.

We have some wonderful breeders that have entered quality yearlings to be sold at our sale says Scheck.  There’s a total of 64 Alberta Sired yearlings along with 6 yearlings bred by out of province stallions.  All of which offer something to our potential buyers.

The 2015 ASHA Yearling Sale will be held at the Olds AG Society Mega Dome on Friday, September 4 at 2:30PM.  Viewing will start at 11:30AM. 

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