That is quite the controversial press release issued by Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) yesterday. For weeks, Woodbine and the Ontario Harness Horse Association have been at each other’s throats thanks to a contract that expired at the end of 2008. The Harness group attempted to boycott the entry box, but when most of the races filled anyway, OHHA called off the boycott, citing a desire to negotiate “in good faith.”

 That ‘good faith’ is being assailed today as Woodbine has severed all ties with OHHA which claims to represent harness horsemen and women in all negotiating circumstances. You can feel the contempt in the missive issued by WEG:

WEG finds it regrettable that OHHA continues to act in bad faith by, among other things, attempting to engage third parties to interfere with WEG’s private commercial matters.

WEG is in receipt of a letter sent by OHHA on January 5, 2009 ( one day after members voted to call off the boycott of WEG racing) to every Member of Provincial Parliament in which OHHA requests that MPPs instruct the Ontario Lottery & Gaming Corporation to withhold WEG’s share of slot machine revenue until such time as WEG contracts with OHHA.

This latest action by OHHA constitutes a serious interference with WEG’s economic and contractual relations with OLG and may amount to inducing breach of contract. A cease and desist letter has been forwarded to OHHA today by our lawyers.

These are further actions by an organization with which WEG simply cannot, and will not, continue to do business. OHHA has demonstrated a pattern of bad faith and a desire to harm WEG’s business and the sport of horse racing in general.

Accordingly, WEG has determined that it will have no further discussions with OHHA in connection with a new contract. Instead, WEG will focus its efforts on contracting with horse people that race at Woodbine and Mohawk racetracks and share WEG’s vision for honest, exciting, quality horse racing.

Until such time as WEG is under contract with such a group, we reiterate our commitment to guarentee the revenue sharing arrangements and purse contributions stipulated in the Access Agreements. WEG will also continue to share slots revenue with horsepeople as it has commmitted to under contract with OLG

 Trying hard to be a neutral observer, I find it difficult to understand OHHA’s action – trying to persuade MPP’s to empower the OLG to withhold money that Woodbine was entitled to. This plan had no chance at success – was it just a way to provoke WEG?

WEG’s letter is extreme. The insinuation that OHHA has “a desire to harm…the sport of horse racing in general…” is probably a little overstated.  I doubt that OHHA’s intent is to hurt racing; but their take on the situation is sure diametrically opposite to Woodbine’s.

These are very tough times. Anyone with a job or method of earning enough to pay the rent or mortgage needs to be grateful for that. Woodbine offers the largest purse for harness racing in Canada and more than most tracks in the United States.  Horse people racing at the Rexdale track can make a good living. The money flows down to the assistant trainers, grooms, vets, blacksmiths, equipment makers, etc.

OHHA had a couple of gripes and while they’re worth discussing, do they justify a war? OHHA wants the right to stand by their man if any of their members is barred from Woodbine for a drugging offence. Woodbine spins that to say they have a stronger  commitment to honest racing. OHHA wants a better deal  on the cash that comes from betting on other tracks by satellite during the winter.  This may amount to a few million dollars one way or the other, but Woodbine is offering $80 million in purses for 2009….why ignore the huge pie while fighting over the tiny biscotti?

In the schoolyard, it’s nice to see a kid brave enough to stand up to the bully. But if the bully is the best thing that ever happened to the kids, why would you want to piss him off? 

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