Woodbine hit with scratch surge following new entry rules

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario came out with new rules on Saturday regarding entering horses at Woodbine that resulted in a host of scratches on the Saturday card. The rules were instituted following several catastrophic breakdowns and injuries on the main track between Oct. 28 and Nov. 29.

The AGCO directed Woodbine to implement the following measures effective immediately, until further notice:

- The race office shall not accept entries for horses that have raced within 14 calendar days or that received an intra-articular fetlock injection within the previous 14 calendar days.

- Any horse that has been drawn-in to race less than 14 calendar days from its last race shall be deemed ineligible and shall be scratched by the stewards.

- An official veterinarian must be present and observe horses during all morning training.

- A horse on the veterinarian’s list cannot work until its trainer and private veterinarian observe it jogging within 48 horses before the work and submit a co-signed statement that the horse is fit and sound to the official veterinarian. The horse must then be examined by the official veterinarian before being permitted to work.

There are seven pending scratches on Sunday’s card. They are redrawing Thursday's card on Sunday.

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