Describe the Issue
The concern is allowing a racing program to proceed when a significant number of horses have been scratched due to track or weather conditions.
Large numbers of weather-related scratches can substantially reduce field sizes and negatively affect the overall quality and wagering appeal of a racing program. As the HBPA and the horsepeople it represents generate important revenues from pari-mutuel wagering, proceeding with a significantly reduced race card can negatively impact wagering handle and the revenues generated for the industry.
A heavily scratched program can also result in races with very small fields, fewer wagering combinations and a racing product that is materially different from the program originally scheduled and presented to wagering customers.
The current rules do not establish a clear threshold for determining when weather or track-condition scratches have reduced a racing program to a point where proceeding with the card is no longer in the best interests of the racing industry. A defined threshold would provide greater consistency and certainty when these circumstances occur.
What specific problems or concerns are involved in this issue?
When a significant number of horses are scratched because of track or weather conditions, the resulting race card can have substantially smaller fields than originally programmed. This creates several concerns for horsepeople and the overall racing product.
Smaller fields generally provide fewer wagering options and can reduce the attractiveness of the program to bettors, negatively affecting wagering handle and the revenues generated from that wagering.
There is also a concern that continuing with a heavily reduced program provides limited benefit to the industry when compared with the potential opportunity to cancel and, where possible, reschedule the race card under more favourable conditions.
Without an established threshold, decisions on whether to proceed with a heavily scratched race card can also be inconsistent. A clearly defined standard would provide horsepeople, the racetrack operator and racing officials with an objective point at which the impact of track or weather-related scratches warrants cancellation of the program.
Who does the issue affect?
This issue affects horsepeople, racetrack operators, wagering customers and the broader Alberta racing industry.
Horse owners, trainers, jockeys and the HBPA are affected because reduced field sizes can negatively impact wagering handle and the revenues generated for purses and industry programs.
Racetrack operators are affected through reduced wagering activity and the potential impact on the overall quality and marketability of the racing product.
Wagering customers are affected because heavily scratched race cards provide fewer wagering opportunities, smaller fields and a racing product that can be significantly different from the program originally presented.
Ultimately, reduced wagering handle affects the financial sustainability of Alberta racing and the stakeholders who depend on wagering-generated revenues.
What existing HRA rules relate to this issue?
The following existing HRA rules and policies relate to this issue:
Rule 162 – Cancellation of Program This rule addresses the cancellation of a racing program and the circumstances under which cancelled overnight races may be rescheduled. The rule was amended for 2026 to permit overnight races from a program cancelled prior to the administration of Lasix to be rescheduled within 96 hours.
Rule 418 – Questionable Track Conditions This rule establishes procedures when track conditions are questionable and provides for consultation between racing officials, the licensed operator and horsemen's representatives. It also provides that where withdrawals reduce a field to fewer than five horses, the licensed operator may postpone a stake or cancel an overnight event.
HRA Race Day Cancellation Policy – RLP009 This policy establishes the procedures and authority for cancelling or postponing racing because of adverse weather, unsafe track conditions and other circumstances. It also provides for consultation with the licensed operator, stewards/judges, horsemen's representatives, jockey/driver representatives and the official veterinarian.
The proposed rule would complement these existing provisions by establishing an objective threshold for cancellation when track or weather conditions result in a significant number of scratches across the racing program.
What solution does this proposal provide?
The proposed rule provides a clear and objective threshold for determining when track or weather-related scratches have significantly reduced the viability of a racing program.
Establishing a 30% scratch threshold and a minimum field-size threshold removes uncertainty and provides HRA officials, the racetrack operator and horsepeople with a consistent standard for determining when a program should be cancelled.
The rule also helps protect the wagering product by preventing significantly reduced race cards from proceeding when large numbers of scratches have resulted in smaller fields, fewer wagering opportunities and the potential for reduced wagering handle.
By limiting the calculation to scratches specifically related to track or weather conditions, the rule targets circumstances where external conditions have materially affected the originally scheduled racing program without affecting normal scratches that occur during the course of racing.
How will the solution fix the problem?
The proposed rule will address the problem by establishing a clear and objective threshold at which a racing program must be cancelled when it has been materially affected by track or weather-related scratches.
Rather than relying on subjective decisions after a significant number of scratches have occurred, the 30% scratch threshold and minimum field-size provision will provide HRA officials, the racetrack operator and horsepeople with
a consistent standard for determining when a program should no longer proceed.
This will prevent heavily reduced race cards from proceeding when the number of scratches has significantly affected field sizes, wagering opportunities and the overall quality of the racing product.
The rule will also help protect wagering handle and wagering-generated revenues by providing an opportunity, where possible, to reschedule affected races under more favourable conditions rather than proceeding with a substantially diminished racing program.
How will the change affect any entities or stakeholders?
The proposed change will provide greater certainty and consistency for all stakeholders by establishing a clear threshold for cancellation when a racing program is significantly affected by track or weather-related scratches.
Racetrack operators will have a defined standard to assist with cancellation decisions and may benefit from avoiding the presentation of a substantially reduced racing product with limited wagering appeal.
Owners and trainers may occasionally lose a scheduled racing opportunity when a card is cancelled; however, where races can be rescheduled, they may have the opportunity to compete under improved conditions and in races with stronger field sizes.
Jockeys and racing officials will have greater clarity regarding when a weather- affected program will proceed or be cancelled.
Wagering customers will benefit from avoiding heavily reduced programs with small fields and limited wagering options.
Overall, the change is intended to protect the quality of Alberta's racing product and the wagering-generated revenues that support horsepeople, racetrack operators and the broader racing industry.
What are the benefits of the proposed change?
The proposed rule would provide greater consistency, transparency and certainty when determining whether a racing program should proceed following significant track or weather-related scratches.
The primary benefit is protecting the quality and wagering appeal of the racing product. Maintaining reasonable field sizes provides wagering customers with more wagering options and helps protect wagering handle and the revenues generated for horsepeople, racetrack operators and the Alberta racing industry.
The rule would also provide an objective standard for HRA officials, racetrack operators and horsepeople, reducing uncertainty and subjective decision- making when significant scratches occur.
Where a program has been materially affected by weather or track conditions, cancellation may also provide an opportunity for races to be rescheduled under more favourable conditions rather than proceeding with substantially reduced fields.
Overall, the proposed rule supports a stronger racing product, protects wagering-generated revenues and provides a clear and consistent process for all stakeholders.
What are the possible drawbacks of the proposed change?
The primary potential drawback is that the proposed thresholds could result in the cancellation of a race program that may otherwise have been able to proceed safely.
Cancellation can create inconvenience and additional costs for owners, trainers, jockeys, racetrack operators and racing officials. It may also result in the loss of a scheduled racing opportunity if the cancelled races cannot be rescheduled.
There could also be circumstances where the numerical threshold is reached even though the remaining races continue to have reasonable field sizes and wagering appeal.
These potential drawbacks are balanced by limiting the rule specifically to scratches resulting from track or weather conditions and establishing thresholds that require a significant portion of the racing program to be affected before mandatory cancellation occurs.
For those stakeholder groups that have expressed an opinion, please list the points on which they agree or disagree, and the arguments they have expressed.
none
Are there any affected stakeholder groups that have not been consulted on this proposal?
none
Please show new language in a new paragraph below the current wording. If you are proposing that current rule language be eliminated, please indicate the text to be deleted with [DELETE: copy to be deleted in square brackets]
Scratch Threshold
A racing program shall be cancelled where, due to track or weather conditions:
(a) thirty percent (30%) or more of the horses originally programmed to race are scratched; and/or
(b) fifty percent (50%) or more of the races on the program are reduced to fewer than five (5) starters due to scratches.
Only scratches related to track or weather conditions received by scratch time shall be included when calculating these thresholds.
Submit proposed amendments to those rules to comply with changes that would be made by this proposal.
The proposed rule would interact primarily with Rule 162 – Cancellation of Program, Rule 418 – Questionable Track Conditions, and HRA's Race Day Cancellation Policy (RLP009).
Rule 162 currently addresses the cancellation of a racing program and the ability to reschedule overnight races following a cancellation. The proposed scratch- threshold rule would establish an additional circumstance requiring cancellation, while the existing provisions of Rule 162 would continue to govern what happens to the races following that cancellation.
Rule 418 addresses questionable track conditions and currently provides procedures relating to weather or track conditions and the withdrawal of horses. The proposed rule would complement Rule 418 by establishing an objective program-wide cancellation threshold once weather or track-related scratches reach the prescribed levels.
HRA's Race Day Cancellation Policy (RLP009) should also be amended to recognize the new mandatory scratch thresholds. The policy currently establishes the process and authority for race-day cancellations but does not contain the proposed numerical scratch thresholds.
No other substantive rule changes are anticipated. Any necessary amendments to Rule 162, Rule 418 and RLP009 should be limited to ensuring that the existing cancellation procedures are consistent with the new mandatory scratch- threshold rule.
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