COSA--Central Ontario Standardbred Association
A harness racing organization representing the interests of horsepeople who race at Woodbine and Mohawk Racetracks
COSA President Bill O’Donnell is encouraging all horsepeople to get involved and to support OHRIA’s public relations and media campaign as our best bet to preserve racing. He encourages everyone to go to OHRIA’s new website at: value4money.ca for updates and the latest developments.
Click here for more of what Bill has to say.
San Pail, Horse of the Year on both sides of the border in 2011, captured his qualifying session this morning, March 15th at Mohawk Racetrack.
The winner of $2,977,885, which includes three Maple Leaf Trot victories, cleared to the front past the half in :58.1 and led his rivals past three-quarters in 1:27.3, en route to stopping the timer in 1:55.3 with a :28 final quarter.
“Everything went very smoothly this morning,” trainer and co-owner Rod Hughes said. “Randy [Waples] and I thought right around [1]:55 or [1]:56 should be reasonable this morning and did that very comfortably. Randy said he was strong at the end of the mile and that he’s ready to go.”
After earning $1,266,420 last season with a record of 14-2-0 from 16 appearances, San Pail’s first stakes engagement of the season will be in the opening leg of the Glorys Comet Series, set for Saturday, March 24 at Woodbine.
The eight-year-old son of San Pellegrino has 49 career victories for co-owner and breeder Glenn Van Camp.
(WEG)
The Ontario Horse Racing Industry Association (OHRIA) is strongly condemning
the government’s decision to force hundreds of hard working Ontarians out of
work by closing the OLG slots at racetracks in Windsor, Fort Erie, and Sarnia.
“This is a sad day for hundreds of families in these communities who found
out today that they are being forced out of work by the government,” said Sue
Leslie, President of OHRIA. “Closing these slots will undoubtedly hurt horse
racing in Windsor, Fort Erie and Sarnia, which in turn will cause even more
economic pain for these communities,” Leslie added.
Finance Minister Dwight Duncan’s decisions to close the slots in Windsor and
Fort Erie particularly, don’t make sense in light of the government’s stated job
creation efforts. Fort Erie’s 115-year-old racetrack is the town’s largest
employer and Windsor already has Ontario’s highest unemployment rate (10.7%)
before the decision was made to force more than two hundred people out of work.
“We appreciate the government is facing difficult economic realities.
However, the government should recognize the significant private sector
investment made in breeding, training and farm operations, along with related
infrastructure, all of which have huge economic spinoffs to all levels of
government,” said Sue Leslie.
“It is important that the government and Ontario Horse Racing Industry Association (OHRIA) work together on a transformation plan to ensure a strong core industry that allows for economic growth and job maintenance for the thousands of individuals who earn their livelihood in horse
racing and breeding.”
(OHRIA)
