Chapter 21: Postponement and Cancellation
21.01 In case of unfavourable weather or other unavoidable cause, Associations with the consent of the Judges shall postpone or cancel races in accordance with this Chapter.
21.01.01 If the track or weather conditions are questionable for the warming up or racing of horses, including actual temperature as defined in 21.01.02, the Judges shall convene a meeting with the representative of the drivers and trainers and a representative of management. If required by the Judges, the representative of the drivers and trainers shall conduct a secret ballot of the drivers and trainers of horses participating in that program of racing to determine whether racing should be conducted. If the vote of the drivers and trainers determines that more than 50% vote against racing, the card shall be cancelled. If more than 50% and less than 75% vote to race, trainers will be allowed to withdraw horses without penalty. If more than 75% vote to race, the regular rules of withdrawal and scratching of horses will apply. If the drivers vote alone is more than 50% to cancel they should be allowed to withdraw their services without penalty. The foregoing does not prevent racetrack management from canceling the races due to track or weather conditions without consultation with the Judges and the horsepeople’s representative.
In the event of a forecasted extreme temperature, the Extreme Temperature Standards at Rule 21.01.02 shall be applied.
21.01.02 Extreme Temperature Standard
In the event of extreme temperature, the decision to cancel racing shall be made by an Association applying the Extreme Temperature Standard.
Actual temperature: temperature at racetrack at post-time, or at any point during the race program as agreed upon by an Association representative and a Racing Official.
Extreme temperature: any temperature which falls within Tier 1 or Tier 2 below.
Forecasted extreme temperature: the temperature based on a publicly accessible local forecast at 5 hours to post-time. At the beginning of each race season the Association shall advise the industry which weather source will be used for temperature forecasts failing which the weather source shall be the Weather Network.
| Tier 1 | Tier 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Forecasted Temperature Range | 31 C to 37.9 C | equal to or greater than 38 C |
| -15 C to -24.9 C | equal to or less than -25 C | |
| Weather Related Scratches Permitted Without Penalty | Yes | Yes |
| Additional Measures | measures must be put in place to ensure the well-being of the horse and any licensees with positions that may be impacted by extreme temperature. |
The following additional measures must be put in place to ensure the well-being of the horse and any licensees with positions that may be impacted by extreme temperature: Cold: 2 additional Veterinarians, or 1 additional Veterinarian and 1 registered Veterinarian Technician to monitor temperature, pulse and respiration rate of equine athletes pre-race and post-race, as well as conditions related to cold temperature including frost bite; tongues not tied outside of horse’s mouth; blankets shall be available for each horse; Racing Officials to minimize post parade time. |
| Cancellation Required | Decision to be made by Association | Decision to be made by Association |
21.02 Deleted.
21.03 An early closing event or a late closing event that cannot be raced during the scheduled meeting shall be declared off and or rescheduled to a later date, meeting or racetrack. If declared off, the total of nomination, sustaining and starting payments divided equally among the owners of eligibles horses in proportion to the number of horses declared to start.
21.04 An early closing event or late closing event that has been started, but remains unfinished on the last day of the scheduled meeting shall be declared ended and the full purse divided according to the summary.
21.05 Stakes and futurities should be raced where advertised and the meeting may be extended to accomplish this. Any stake or futurity that has been started, but which remains unfinished on the last day of the scheduled meeting shall be declared ended and the full purse divided according to the summary, except where the Association elects to extend the meeting to complete the race. Horses that are scratched after a heat and before the race is declared finished shall not participate in purse distributions for subsequent heats in the event the race is called off and declared finished.
21.06 Unless otherwise provided in the conditions, in order to transfer stakes and futurities to another meeting, the Association will determine another date that shall be approved by the Registrar. All those having eligible horses in the event shall abide by the decision.
21.07 At extended meetings, overnight events may be postponed and rescheduled within two days, or may be cancelled if circumstances or weather conditions warrant. Postponed overnight events not raced within two days shall then be cancelled.
21.08 At non-extended meetings, overnight events shall be cancelled, unless the Association is willing to add the postponed races to the advertised program for subsequent days of the meeting. At the option of the Association, any postponed races may be contested in single one-mile dashes. Where races are postponed under this rule, the Association shall have the privilege of selecting the order in which events will be raced in any combination program.
21.09 Deleted.
21.10 If qualifying races are postponed or cancelled, an announcement shall be made to the participants as soon as the decision is made.