Notices & Updates

Canadian Registration Requirements for OSS Nominated Horses Changed

Standardbred Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) rules require that a yearling must be registered with either Standardbred Canada or the United States Trotting Association (USTA) at the time of nomination.

In addition to having all fees paid and paperwork submitted, Canadian registration through Standardbred Canada requires that the foal be freeze branded and DNA tested by an Identification Technician before registration can be completed.

The Ontario Racing Commission (ORC) has been notified that due to a number of factors in Ontario, there are a large number of foals still to be identified by the Standardbred Canada Identification Technician. It is not expected that these foals can be completed by May 15^th.

Consequently, the ORC has made the following decisions with respect to the conditions surrounding the Ontario Sires Stakes Program:

1. The OSS nomination deadline for foals of 2012 remains May 15, 2013
The nomination and the payment must be received or postmarked by the deadline, regardless of whether or not the Canadian registration has been completed.

2. OSS nominated horses registering through Standardbred Canada will have until June 15^th 2013 to complete the registration process.
For all OSS nominated horses, the OSS Administration will be advised automatically of the registration status of the horse.

Owners of OSS nominated horses are reminded that the OSS eligibility of their horses can be confirmed on this website, which is updated daily, as nominations are accepted and completed registration confirmed.

Please note, the process of updating the system for the yearlings received to date is just beginning, and should be completed by early next week. The OSS Administration encourages you to recheck the Participants/Nominated section of this site regularly, as yearlings will be added as they are finalized.

For further information, please contact:
Karen Hauver
OSS Administration Coordinator
519 369-3545
karen.hauver@ontarioracingcommission.ca

2013 Yearling Nomination Form

Corresponding owners of yearlings eligible to be nominated to the Ontario Sires Stakes should be aware that yearling nomination forms were mailed on April 15th according to the information in the Standardbred Canada computer system at that time.

If you are the corresponding officer of an eligible yearling and have not yet received a nomination form, you can now download the form from the website - links appear below.

Owners are reminded that their yearlings must be registered at the time of nomination (May 15, 2013). If you did not receive a nomination form OR if the name of your yearling did not appear on the form along with the breeding information, you are encouraged to check with Standardbred Canada (foalreg@standardbredcanada.ca) , the OSS Administration office (records@ontariosiresstakes.com) or the USTA to verify that your yearling is in fact registered or to find out what needs to be completed before the May 15 deadline.

The $100 nomination fee for Ontario sired foals of 2012 must be postmarked by May 15, 2013.

The OSS Administration recommends that payments be sent by Registered mail so the sender has proof of mailing.

All cheques should be made payable and mailed to:

Ontario Sires Stakes
10 Carlson Court, Suite 400
Toronto, ON M9W 6L2

View or print the Yearling Nomination Conditions and Form

2013 OSS Schedule Released

The 2013 Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) schedule is now available and is posted under the Schedule and Results Section. A printable version can be accessed by clicking here.

The schedule was drafted with the racing information known at this time and participants are advised that the dates and locations are subject to change.

Draw dates and times will be added to the Schedules and Results section of the website in early May when that information has been finalized.

For more information please contact:

Karen Hauver
OSS Administration Coordinator
519 369-3545

2013 Ontario Sires Stakes Program Details Released

April 23, 2013

The details of the 2013 Standardbred Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) were announced today by the Program Administrator of the Horse Improvement Program. Following extensive work by industry groups, the OSS has been repositioned to meet the challenges of the future, while maintaining many of the features that will ensure that the OSS continues to be one of the leading programs of its type in North America.

$14.6 million in purses will be offered to Ontario Sired horses under a Grassroots and Gold format. The Ontario Sired and Ontario Bred Rewards, at 5% and 15% respectively, will be maintained to support the breeding community.

Highlights
Gold Series � New format

� The 2013 Gold Series will culminate in the crowning of the best Ontario Sired horses with the $200K Gold Super Finals in late September

� The new season format is comprised of 2 legs, leading to a Mid-Season Challenge, followed by another 2 legs leading to the Super Finals

� The total purse for each leg is set at $210K, with a cap of $150K per division

� The new Mid-Season Challenge will have a purse of $150K for the top 10 point earners in the first two legs. A $50,000 Consolation will also be offered for the next 10 point earners

� Points for the Gold Super Finals will be accumulated throughout the season

Grassroots Series

� Grassroots regular season events have been maintained at 6 legs for each category of age/sex/gait, culminating in the Grassroots Championships in late September

� Starting fees have been reduced to $300

� The total purse for each Grassroots event will be $90K, with a cap of $18K per division

� The top 10 point earners throughout the season will compete in the Grassroots Championships

� Grassroots Semi-Finals have been eliminated

� Purses for the Grassroots Championships are set at $50K

With the issuance of the 2013 race date calendar by the Ontario Racing Commission, the administration is currently working on completion of the 2013 OSS race schedule and will release a calendar of dates and locations shortly.

The Program Administrator wishes to thank the Working Group and the Standardbred Improvement Program Advisory Group, for their thoughts and advice in helping to form the 2013 season.

For further details, see General Information section of this website or contact

Karen Hauver

OSS Administration Coordinator

519 369-3545

karen.hauver@ontarioracingcommission.ca

OSS Race Videos Available on the OSS Website

Click here for details

Overnight Conditions for Ontario Sired Horses

Horsemen looking for overnight races for their Ontario sired horses at any track in Ontario can now access this information on the Standardbred Canada website.
Clicking the link below will display a list of conditions for overnight races written specifically for Ontario sired horses. These conditions are listed by age and gait from current condition sheets from all tracks across Ontario.
Ontario Sired Overnight Conditions

OSS Mailing Address

Please note the address and phone numbers for the Ontario Sires Stakes:

Ontario Sires Stakes
10 Carlson Court, Suite 400
Toronto, ON M9W 6L2

Phone:519-369-3545
Fax: 519-369-2563