An investigation by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario into a series of racehorse injuries last fall that it called “a threat to the long-term sustainability of the industry” found lax upkeep practices at Woodbine Racetrack, the province’s premier thoroughbred racing venue. Breakdowns during training and races injured 19 horses, resulting in the euthanasia of 10 and a temporary halt to racing at the Toronto-area track.
The regulator said Woodbine had “undertrained and inexperienced maintenance personnel,” an “absence of standardized maintenance protocols,” and “improperly maintained track equipment.”
It also found “substandard grooming practices and irregular surface depth measurements.”
The AGCO laid out the findings in a joint statement with Woodbine Entertainment Group that announced a settlement agreement which includes a number of changes to Woodbine’s governance and track oversight “aimed at improving track maintenance practices and protecting the welfare of racehorses.”
The settlement also includes a $200,000 fine that will be stayed if Woodbine fulfills its obligations under the agreement.
Woodbine Entertainment also pledged a $200,000 donation to support equine aftercare and welfare in the province, which will be split equally between LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society and the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance.
“What happened last fall was tragic,” said Michael Copeland, Woodbine’s chief executive, in an e-mail to the racing community that the company shared with The Globe and Mail. “Everyone at Woodbine shares in the compassion and concern felt throughout our racing community and we remain focused on doing everything we can to maintain the safest possible track conditions in North America.”
The company declined further comment.
In a statement to the Globe, the AGCO said it would not be releasing the details of its investigation, as it “does not publish reports that form part of its investigative process,” but that its key findings were included in the joint statement with Woodbine.
It declined further comment.
The first in the spate of breakdowns at Woodbine occurred last Oct. 28. After six breakdowns during training and racing on Nov. 9, including three that resulted in euthanasia, Woodbine cancelled the final two races that day and suspended operations for the following day, while staff were brought in from Tapeta Footings, the company that installed its all-weather synthetic track in 2016.
A Nov. 21 story on Woodbine’s website reported that Tapeta “found the track required maintenance to restore its evenness, consistency, bounce and cushion.”
Reached by phone on Monday, Joan Wakefield, one of the owners of Tapeta Footings, said she was travelling and would not be available to comment on its role in the AGCO’s investigation.
In late November, the AGCO noted that “the increasing number of catastrophic breakdowns at Woodbine Racetrack is of serious concern for the AGCO and a threat to the long-term sustainability of the industry.”
It ordered Woodbine to implement a number of temporary measures to help combat the problems, including a mandated rest period for horses of at least 14 days between races, and a ban on racing by horses that had received an intra-articular fetlock injection, which is used to treat joint issues, within the previous 14 days.
There was one additional fatality after the changes were implemented, before racing wrapped up for the season on Dec. 15.
Woodbine saw 13 horse fatalities across 127 race days last year, up from 11 across 128 race days in 2023, according to the Equine Injury Database.
The joint statement announced Woodbine had agreed as part of its settlement to implement a series of measures, including hiring “two internationally recognized track safety experts for two years to conduct quarterly safety assessments of the Tapeta surface,” and submit reports to Woodbine and the AGCO.
It also pledged to improve governance, including establishing a new track surfaces committee “to monitor track safety and make recommendations for improvement throughout the season.”
That committee will comprise representatives from the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, and the Jockey’s Benefit Association of Canada. The governance and compliance committee of Woodbine’s board of directors will provide oversight of the new track surfaces committee.
“These reforms represent an important step forward and lay the foundation for a safer and more sustainable future for the sport,” the statement said.
This year’s thoroughbred racing season kicked off on Saturday, April 26. It runs through Dec. 14, with highlights of the calendar including the $1-million King’s Plate on Aug. 16.