Cup Field Set, New Whip Rules For Tbred and Sbred Enacted

The Confederation Cup is set for this weekend. The field:

• Bay Of Sharks
• Chief Of The Beach
• Fast Pay
• If I Can Dream
• Lyons Horace
• Nob Hill High
• Passmaster Hanover
• Primary Purpose
• Rescue Plan
• River Shark
• Shipps Xpectancy
• Stonebridge Master
• Vertigo Hanover

For the second year in a row the field that has been assembled is not too darn bad. This crop is not deep at all, so to snare 150 pacers like Passmaster and If I Can Dream is more than solid. Early season winner River Shark was a supplement.

New whipping rules are set to go in effect in Ontario starting September 1st.

Among the provisions in the new rules: for standardbred racing, there is now a requirement to keep a line in each hand for the entire race. Thoroughbred and quarter-horse rules now stipulate only a ‘humane or cushion’ riding crop may be used, and the horse must be allowed time to respond before it may be used again.

We shall see if the drivers comply with this and not drop the feet or use the whip where the sun don't shine which goes on daily in Ontario. For the runners, they will have to not "tap, tap, tap", as they must let the horse respond.