OSS PROGRAM

Ontario Racing (OR), as Program Administrator, reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to make any adjustments, changes or cancellations as deemed required. By participating in the OSS Program, the participants acknowledge and agree that OR will not be held liable for any costs associated with any changes to the OSS Program.

All OSS races shall be conducted in accordance with the Rules of Standardbred Racing and individual racetrack rules approved by the Alcohol & Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO). Racetrack retention barn rules may apply. All participants are strongly advised to make themselves familiar with rules specifically related to the OSS.

Gold, Grassroots and Prospect Series Legs are numbered 1 through 5 and horses are eligible to be entered in ONE OF the Gold OR Grassroots OR Prospect Series Legs of the same number. Prospect Series events numbered A and B are considered one leg.

GOLD SERIES

In each category, points are awarded in Gold Legs as follows:

First Place 50 Points
Second Place 25 Points
Third Place 12 Points
Fourth Place 8 Points
Fifth Place 5 Points
Sixth Place 3 Points
Seventh Place 2 Points
Eighth Place 1 Point

The Gold Series will consist of forty (40) Gold legs, five events for each of the eight categories for age, sex and gait. As noted above, Gold, Grassroots and Prospect Series events will be numbered and horses cannot be entered in a Gold, Grassroots or Prospect Series event of the same number. Horses will earn points in each of the Gold Legs to qualify for their Gold Super Final. Points are updated daily on the Standardbred Canada computer system and on the OSS website.

Gold Super Final Rules

  1. Horses will earn points in all five Gold legs to qualify for the $300,000 Gold Super Final.
  2. After the last scheduled Gold Leg, the top 10 point earners entered in each age, sex and gait category will compete in a Gold Super Final. Any horse may be entered into its respective OSS Gold Super Final, provided it has started in a minimum of two Gold Legs in the current year OR has earned a minimum of 50 points in the Gold Series in the current year and has not started in the Grassroots Semi-Final.
  3. There will be no Starting Fee for the Gold Super Finals.
  4. In the event of a dead heat, the points for the positions involved will be shared evenly between the horses finishing in the dead heat.
  5. Points are updated daily on the Standardbred Canada computer system and on the OSS website.
  6. In the event of a tie in the point standings, horses will be drawn by lot after the box closes.
  7. The two Also Eligible horses will be the 11th and 12th highest point earners declared in. In the event of a tie in the point standings for the Also Eligible horses, they will be drawn by lot.
  8. Any horse may be entered into its respective Gold Super Final, Grassroots Semi-Final or Prospect Final, but it cannot be entered into more than one final, unless it was Also Eligible and did not draw into the Gold Super Final, Grassroots Semi-Final or Prospect Final.

GRASSROOTS SERIES

The Grassroots Series will consist of forty (40) Grassroots events, five events in each of the eight categories for age, sex and gait.

If more horses declare to start in an event than is permitted at that racetrack, the event shall be split into the appropriate number of divisions with entries seeded by lot.

Horses will earn points in each of the five Grassroots Legs throughout the season to qualify for the Grassroots Semi-Final.

In each category, points will be awarded in all Grassroots Series races as follows:

First Place 50 Points
Second Place 25 Points
Third Place 12 Points
Fourth Place 8 Points
Fifth Place 5 Points
Sixth Place 3 Points
Seventh Place 2 Points
Eighth Place 1 Point

In the event of a dead heat, the points for the positions involved will be shared evenly between the horses finishing in the dead heat. Points are updated daily on the Standardbred Canada computer system and on this website under the Leaders menu.

Grassroots Semi-Final Rules

  1. Each of the eight categories of age, sex and gait will have a Grassroots Semi-Final for the top point-earners during the regular season and a Grassroots Championship race approximately one week later.
  2. The Semi-Final will consist of two $20,000 divisions.
  3. Any horse may be entered into its respective Grassroots Semi-Final, provided it has started in a minimum of two Grassroots events in the current year and has not started in the Gold Super Final or Prospect Final.
  4. There will be no Starting Fee for the Grassroots Semi-Final or Grassroots Championship races.
  5. The number of starters allowed to compete in each Grassroots Semi-Final shall be governed by the number of horses that the host racetrack can accommodate on the starting gate. However, there will always be a minimum of eight horses drawn for each Semi-Final.
  6. In the event of a tie in the standings, horses will be drawn by lot after the box closes.
  7. The two Also Eligible horses will be drawn from the next highest point earners declared in and they will be the same for both Semi-Final divisions. In the event of a tie in the standings for the Also Eligible horses, they will be drawn by lot.
  8. Any horse may be entered into its respective Gold Super Final, Grassroots Semi-Final or Prospect Final, but it cannot be entered into more than one final, unless it was Also Eligible and did not draw into the Gold Super Final, Grassroots Semi-Final or Prospect Final.

Grassroots Championship Rules

  1. Starters in the $75,000 Grassroots Championships will be the top finishers in the Semi-Final divisions that declare in.
  2. In the event of a tie for the final position, the starters will be drawn by lot. A dead heat may not cause the number of starters to increase. Horses finishing in a dead heat are considered to have finished the same. Horses finishing in a dead heat will be ranked behind horses finishing in the same position but not in a dead heat.
  3. The next highest place finishers declared in will be the first and second “Also Eligible” horses in the Championship. In the event of a tie, they will be drawn by lot.

PROSPECT SERIES

The Prospect Series will consist of sixty-four (64) events, eight events in each of the eight categories for age, sex and gait, split into five legs.

Prospect Series Legs require five entrants to be contested. If a Leg does not fill, those horses entered will be permitted to enter the same numbered Grassroots or Gold Series Leg.

If more horses declare to start in an event than is permitted at that racetrack, the event shall be split into the appropriate number of divisions with entries seeded by lot.

Horses will earn points in each of the five Prospect Series Legs throughout the season to qualify for the Prospect Final.

In each category, points will be awarded in all Prospect Series races as follows:

First Place 50 Points
Second Place 25 Points
Third Place 12 Points
Fourth Place 8 Points
Fifth Place 5 Points
Sixth Place 3 Points
Seventh Place 2 Points
Eighth Place 1 Point

In the event of a dead heat, the points for the positions involved will be shared evenly between the horses finishing in the dead heat. Points are updated weekly on this website.

Prospect Final Rules

  1. Each of the eight categories of age, sex and gait will have a $15,000 Prospect Final for the top point-earners during the regular season.
  2. Any horse may be entered into its respective Prospect Final, provided it has started in a minimum of three (3) Prospect Series events in the current year and has not started in the Gold or Grassroots Final. Entries in legs which did not fill will be considered starts and horses will be assigned five points.
  3. There will be no Starting Fee for the Prospect Final.
  4. The number of starters allowed to compete in each Prospect Final shall be governed by the number of horses that the host racetrack can accommodate on the starting gate. However, there will always be a minimum of eight horses drawn for each Final.
  5. In the event of a tie in the standings, horses will be drawn by lot after the box closes.
  6. The two Also Eligible horses will be drawn from the next highest point earners declared. In the event of a tie in the standings for the Also Eligible horses, they will be drawn by lot.
  7. Any horse may be entered into its respective Gold Super Final, Grassroots Semi-Final or Prospect Final, but it cannot be entered into more than one semi-final or final, unless it was Also Eligible and did not draw into the Gold Super Final, Grassroots Semi-Final or Prospect Final.

STARTER & TRACK INFORMATION

Gold, Grassroots and Prospect Series Divisions

Gold, Grassroots and Prospect Series divisions will have the maximum number of participants as outlined in AGCO rule 16.24 in the AGCO Rules of Standardbred Racing.

If only one division is required, there will be a maximum of two trailers.

If two or more divisions are required, there will be a maximum of one trailer.

For OSS races, entries will only be split into multiple divisions when the maximum number of trailers as stated in Rule 16.24 is exceeded.

Gold Super Final

There will be a maximum of 10 horses in the Gold Super Final events.

Grassroots Semi-Final and Championship and Prospect Final

The number of starters allowed to compete in Grassroots Semi-Finals and Championships and Prospect Finals shall be governed by the number of horses the host racetrack can accommodate on the starting gate. However, there will always be a minimum of eight (8) horses drawn for each.