Canada

The British Columbia Thoroughbred Owners & Breeders Association (BCTOBA) and Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association of British Columbia (HBPA of BC) have banded together to help owners and breeders of British Columbia after noticing a decline in mares bred and a decline in entries to local sales, both believed to be due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. A five-year, two-part plan has been established. Internal adjustments to the purse accounts will provide a 35% bonus to those owners racing a BC-bred in 2022 through 2026, an increase from the current...

Canada's Private Members Bill C-218, which amends the Criminal Code of Conduct regarding sports betting, was passed in the House of Commons Wednesday, Feb. 17. It will now continue to the Justice Committee, the Senate, and the Governor-General. A similar bill, C-13, introduced by the federal government to legalize single-event sports wagering while including language to protect the horse racing industry, is scheduled for a second reading Friday. Both are widely expected to pass and pave the way for Canadians to participate in single sports betting, while also adopting language...

The Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (Ontario Division) (CTHS), Ontario Racing Management (ORM) and Woodbine Entertainment have reached an agreement which includes the CTHS forming an industry relations sub-committee of its Board of Directors. This new CTHS Industry Relations Sub-Committee (IRSC), will include representation from the CTHS, ORM and Woodbine with a mandate to work together for the betterment of the entire industry. Initial members of IRSC include Peter Berringer (President (Ont) and National Vice President, CTHS), members of the CTHS Board of Directors, Tom Via (Chief Operating Officer, Woodbine Entertainment)...

Sam-Son Farm will be presented with the Special Sovereign Award during the 46th Annual Sovereign Awards Virtual Ceremony, which will be held in April. Selected by the Jockey Club of Canada's Stewards, the Special Sovereign Award honors those who have accomplished outstanding achievements and made a significant contribution to the Thoroughbred Industry in Canada. Over the past five decades, Sam-Son Farm, a Canadian Thoroughbred breeding and racing operation founded in 1972 by Ernie and Liza Samuel, has been the recipient of four Eclipse Awards, 13 Hall of Fame Awards and...

Sam-Son Farm, whose Thoroughbred racing and breeding operation dates back to 1972 and is considered a pillar of the sport in Canada, will be dispersing its stock over the next 18 months, primarily through public auctions handled by Keeneland and Fasig-Tipton. The liquidation of racing and breeding stock was announced via press release Oct. 28. Sam-Son executives did not cite a specific reason beyond saying in a prepared statement that: "After serious consideration and discussion, the owners have unanimously decided to initiate an orderly dispersal and to step back from...

Assiniboia Downs will be the first track in Canada to resume live racing with no spectators Monday night. They will run Monday through Wednesday with first post at 7:30 p.m. The track is offering $20 in free wagers when players launch their accounts. Players can sign up for an account at HPIbet.com or by phoning 204-885-3330 ext. 225. The track, in fact, is guaranteeing a $10,000 pick-4 pool.

Canada's version of the Eclipse Awards, the Sovereign Awards is set to be held during a virtual ceremony Tuesday evening at 8 p.m. Eastern time. The ceremony will be streamed live at www.woodbine.com and HPItv Canada. A digital program will be available for download at the Jockey Club of Canada website. The Sovereign Awards, which recognize the nation's best across 12 equine and five human categories, was originally slated for Apr. 16, but officials were forced to postpone the program due to the coronavirus pandemic. Media Sovereign Awards in the...

Woodbine CEO Jim Lawson told the Toronto Sun that he anticipates racing will resume at the Ontario track in approximately six weeks. "With the optimism that we all need to share, we anticipate that we are approximately six weeks away from resuming live racing (under the strict conditions being developed with the AGCO) if the Provincial Declaration of Emergency is lifted and parts of the economy are permitted to gradually re-open following government and health officials' guidelines," Lawson told the Sun. "I will continue to provide updates in the coming...

Ontario purse funds from races already canceled or expected to be canceled in April and May because of COVID-19 restrictions will be redistributed to the owners of Thoroughbreds, Standardbreds and Quarter Horses in the form of a monthly stipend that requires an application process, the Ontario Racing task force announced late Thursday. "These funds were already committed to the industry through the funding agreement for live horse racing between Ontario Racing and the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG)," an Ontario Racing press release stated. "In order to be eligible...

The 45th annual Sovereign Awards ceremonies, scheduled for Apr. 20 in northwest suburban Toronto, has been postponed indefinitely in response to the coronavirus crisis, The Jockey Club of Canada announced Monday. "The health and safety of our finalists, our guests and their families is of the utmost importance and we feel this is a necessary precaution in the current situation," a release said. "We would like to assure all our stakeholders that we will continue to monitor the situation as it evolves and will provide regular updates throughout. "Once an...

Woodbine Entertainment is increasing purses for its overnight and Ontario bonus programs effective for this year's Thoroughbred season which begins Saturday, Apr. 18, the company announced Tuesday. "Woodbine is committed to attracting and retaining top quality horses in support of a strong racing program," said Jessica Buckley, Senior Vice President of Thoroughbred and Standardbred Racing for Woodbine Entertainment. "We are pleased to offer enhanced overnight purses for some conditions as well as significant bonus increases for the Ontario Sired and Ontario Bred programs that will benefit the local horse racing...

Ontario Racing's Mare Purchase Program (MPP), designed to bolster the province's breeding and racing industry through its Thoroughbred Horse Improvement Program (TIP), has concluded with a total of 123 new broodmares added to the breeding program and 76 of those pledged to breed back to Ontario stallions. Through the end of the OBS Winter Mixed sale Jan. 29, a total of 24 in-foal broodmares were purchased at various public auctions with 16 expected to be bred back to a registered Ontario sire during the 2020-21 breedingseason and eligible for the...