Woodbine: Schickedanz has racing privileges restored

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Owner/breeder Bruno Schickedanz has had his racing privileges restored at Woodbine and will be represented by Stuck in Traffic, trained by Phil England, in Sunday's first race.

"We talked and came to an agreement which reinstated his racing privileges," said Jamie Martin, executive vice president for racing of the Woodbine Entertainment Group.

The Woodbine Entertainment Group had withdrawn Schickedanz's racing and stabling privileges in late June of 2010 after Wake At Noon, who had been training on his farm, shipped in to Woodbine to breeze over the training track and took a bad step which led to his being injured and euthanized.

Wake at Noon, a 13-year-old gelding, was Canadian Horse of the Year in 2002 and had not participated in a race since Nov. 2007.

Schickedanz appealed Woodbine's actions to the Ontario Racing Commission in August 2010, but his appeal was denied.

Following an Ontario Racing Commission hearing that fall into the Wake At Noon incident, Schickedanz was suspended for 12 months beginning Jan. 1, 2011, with six months of that suspension to be stayed.

Schickedanz appealed and a new racing commission ruling issued last Nov. 9 stayed the entire suspension while placing the owner on probation through Oct. 31, 2013.

The racing commission never cited Schickedanz for any specific rule violations, but in a statement of facts agreed upon by both parties, the commission held him responsible for the horse's breakdown "as the ultimate admitted decision-maker."