The health and welfare of equine athletes is of paramount concern to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and to members of the racing community. An effort to monitor weather conditions – including air quality – and how it will impact racehorses is in keeping with this mandate.
Environment Canada has issued a special air quality statement for parts of Ontario stating high levels of air pollution that have developed due to smoke from forest fires in Quebec and northeastern Ontario.
As such, in accordance with Standardbred Rule 21.01 and Thoroughbred Rule 14.05, the AGCO is recommending racetracks to cancel upcoming workouts, qualifiers, and races if the air quality health index (AQHI) is in the high risk (7-10) range. For current AQHI information in your area, please see: Air Quality Ontario.
The AGCO will continue to monitor the situation.
