April 2021: Lockdown has placed Ontario Horse Racing under a serious threat of permanent closure. Premier Doug Ford has forced racing to stop, while other outdoor sports and NHL hockey inside arenas are still allowed to continue.  While these are not essential, horse racing is.

While the horses and people work at the racetracks every day, they should also be allowed to fully train and race for purse monies during lockdowns, because it could seriously hobble an important agricultural industry that employs thousands of Ontarians. Working right now in the barns of Woodbine and Fort Erie and Woodbine-Mohawk Park Racetracks are many hard-working people caring for horses that have devoted their lives and invested everything to this sport and cutting off their source of income from competing is threatening their stability and livelihoods for their entire future.

Disallowing racing is similar to telling a farmer that they can plan and plant their fields, but cannot harvest them and sell them to make up for initial investment and make an income to support their families.

Horse Racing behind closed doors without the public is and was successfully practiced in most countries around the world. This entails strict protocols without any on-course spectators whatsoever For example, look at how Australia considered horse racing essential and it continued on. That continent is now "Covid free".

Please have confidence the essential horse racing industry in Ontario can follow safe protocols,and thereby protect the livelihoods and the income for many workers and their families of this important agriculture sector in Ontario and allow horse racing in Ontario.  This is much more than a sport, and extends much further than just the barns at the racetracks. There are breeders, suppliers, and many businesses that benefits as a result.  It is the lives of these people and the history of the sport on the line. As many are now leaving or not arriving due to forced closure of the afternoon racing, it is clear that all essential agricultural workers should have a right to be allowed to do their jobs in full.