RUS Ontario Moving Ahead; Mid-Week Doings

So what is cooking in Ontario with regards to RUS?  Here is the latest news.

Logo used with permission of RUS Ontario.  All rights reserved.

2015 has a racing calendar expanded to 15 race dates.  Some of the highlights are May 15 when RUS Ontario opens their season at Western Fair Ditrict as well as being on the undercard on Confederation Cup Day (May 17).  RUS racing will also be on the card for Industry Day and the Battle of Waterloo at Grand River on August 3.

RUS Ontario will be busy off the track as well with promotions to bring racing under saddle to the public. An appearance at The Horse Festival at Georgian Downs on July 18 looks to be a bigger event than last year, giving them the opportunity for more exposure.  Over the May 24 weekend, RUS Ontario will be at Clinton Raceway for Owner Appreciation Day.

As active as RUS Ontario is, they realize there is a need for a higher level of publicity and as such they will be submitting their official business plan to the Ontario Horse Racing Industry Association so they can work together to expand RUS's marketing abilities.


At the Meadowlands, news comes that Jimmy Marohn Jr. will remain at the North Jersey track for the rest of the meet after getting off to a hot start instead of returning to Tioga Downs where he has recently been king of the hill.  While he will race at the Meadowlands on Fridays and Saturdays, he will still return to Nichols, New York for their Sunday afternoon cards.  This is a big move for Marohn; some would say a gamble, but you have to strike while the anvil is hot.


The Meadowlands is not the only track in New Jersey with horse shortages.  Freehold Raceway on Thursday has only nine races on the docket; down from the usual slate of races.  Better fewer races than cobbling together a bunch of noncompetitive races.

Good news for Maryland horsemen.  Cloverleaf SOA has signed an agreement with Ocean Down0s guaranteeing racing through 2019.  Coupled with the agreement with Rosecroft, this means for the firt time in a long while horsemen know there will be racing in Maryland four the next four years.

\The Ohio Racing Commission has approved new rules regarding whipping which in part bans hitting a tiring horse or one out of contention.  The rule also will require a driver to give a horse a chance to respond to a prior whipping before using the whip again. Penalties will range from placement, disqualification, fines and suspension.  Having to go through the governmental process, this rule may take up to four months to go into effect.