The Director of the Ontario Racing Commission (ORC) announced Friday (Dec. 20) the decision on a number of additional applications seeking variances to the assigned dates for 2014.
In addition to previous applications from Woodbine Entertainment Group for Woodbine Standardbred, Western Fair Association and Great Canadian Gaming Corporation (GCGC) for Flamboro, dealt with by the Director in previous notices, applications to vary race dates were received from Rideau Carleton Raceway Holdings Ltd. and GCGC for Georgian
Downs.
The director confirms and approves the schedule of race dates for the first quarter of 2014 as follows.
Applicant number of race dates approved for first quarter (To download a PDF of the complete calendar, click here):
Woodbine Racetrack: 37 Premier Cards
Standardbred
(Previously Approved)
Western Fair: 38 Signature Cards
Standardbred
(Previously Approved)
Flamboro Downs: 52 Signature Cards
Standardbred
(Previously Approved)
Georgian Downs: 0 Signature Cards
Standardbred
(Approved to cancel four race dates in early January)
Rideau Carleton: 14 Signature Cards
Standardbred
(Approved for Sundays, January 12 through March 30, adding Thursdays starting March 20)
Kawartha Downs Limited has advised the ORC that it will not be applying for a 2014 license to operate a racetrack, therefore all race dates approved for Kawartha Downs have been cancelled.
Additionally, as a result, the 2014 Home Market Areas for Telephone Account Betting formerly approved for Kawartha have been conditionally approved for Woodbine Racetrack, with all net revenues to be held in trust.
Winrac Development Inc. did not submit a complete application for licence and therefore, all race dates approved for Dresden Raceway have been cancelled.
Additionally, as a result, the 2014 Home Market Areas for Telephone Account Betting formerly approved for Dresden Raceway have been conditionally approved for Woodbine Racetrack, with all net revenues to be held in trust. Any teletheatre licenses currently approved under Dresden Raceway’s 2013 license to operate a racetrack have not been issued for 2014.
In accordance with Policy Directive 3-2007, all other race date calendars are approved based on previous approvals, but are subject to change where a racetrack operator or other interested party makes an application to vary the approved dates, which will be considered based on the strengths of the business plans submitted and the industry funding available.
The Director is moving forward to implement the components of the 5-year Horse Racing Partnership (HRP) Plan, as recommended by the Horse Racing Industry Transition Panel in its final report of October 2013. As part of that implementation, the Director is currently considering options related to a single operator of teletheatres and telephone account betting in the province, as recommended in the HRP. Decisions regarding implementation will be communicated in the coming weeks to ensure that such changes will come into effect April 1, 2014.