Long-Term Suspensions for Race Fixing at Windsor

[Ian Meyers]

Forward, Piroski and Wallis suspended by ORC
Friday, September 03, 2010 - from the Ontario Racing Commission

Toronto, ON --- In keeping with the mandate of the Ontario Racing Commission to protect the integrity of racing and maintain the fairness of the sport, the Director has ordered the immediate suspension of the licenses of three people. In addition, the Director has issued proposed orders to suspend their licences for an extended period, and ordered fines.

The ORC Investigations Unit -- including members of the OPP Illegal Gambling Unit seconded to the ORC -- teamed with the Michigan State Police and the Michigan Gaming Control Board in the investigation of “races of interest” at Michigan race tracks and Windsor Raceway.

Receiving suspensions and fines are:

Brad O. Forward, Woodstock, ON -- 5 years, fine of C$5,000
Gene T. Piroski, Cottam, ON -- 10 years, fine of C$100,000
Kevin W. Wallis, Maidstone, ON -- 12 years, fine of C$100,000

http://xwebapp.ustrotting.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=38918&z=63

[lamboguy]

Forward, Piroski and Wallis suspended by ORC
Friday, September 03, 2010 - from the Ontario Racing Commission

Toronto, ON --- In keeping with the mandate of the Ontario Racing Commission to protect the integrity of racing and maintain the fairness of the sport, the Director has ordered the immediate suspension of the licenses of three people. In addition, the Director has issued proposed orders to suspend their licences for an extended period, and ordered fines.

The ORC Investigations Unit -- including members of the OPP Illegal Gambling Unit seconded to the ORC -- teamed with the Michigan State Police and the Michigan Gaming Control Board in the investigation of “races of interest” at Michigan race tracks and Windsor Raceway.

Receiving suspensions and fines are:i would like to know what they did

Brad O. Forward, Woodstock, ON -- 5 years, fine of C$5,000
Gene T. Piroski, Cottam, ON -- 10 years, fine of C$100,000
Kevin W. Wallis, Maidstone, ON -- 12 years, fine of C$100,000

http://xwebapp.ustrotting.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=38918&z=63i would like to know what they did

[Canarsie]

http://www.harnesslink.com/www/Article.cgi?ID=83413

[lamboguy]

i have no clue why someone would bag a race where there is only about $1000 in the whole win pool. i want to know what purpose they had to fix the race, the pures are about50 times more than what they possibly could win gambling.

maybe they were fixing races for the purse money?

[botster]

Kevin Wallis has been around for a long time, so if this ruling is indeed to take effect immediatly he is probably done driving.Art Macalmurray had that FFA trotter NIGHT COURT DAN many moons ago and has been a Michigan staple for a very long time.Brad Forward had some ability, I guess him driving doubleheaders wasn't lucritive enough.

I would like to believe somewhere the late Randy Rankin of whom was most likely murdered a few years back in Canada is getting a bit of satisfaction tonight by this ruling.The ORC should be applauded here, but I am hoping they don't stop with just drivers.They need to take the step up and start investigating trainers in Ontario as well, and the vets that are working with them.

[botster]

i have no clue why someone would bag a race where there is only about $1000 in the whole win pool. i want to know what purpose they had to fix the race, the pures are about50 times more than what they possibly could win gambling.

maybe they were fixing races for the purse money?

You would be shocked if you were to know what is going on at these small tracks with small purses and miniscule pools.These guys would give a horse anything under the sun if they knew it were to go undetected.They are only doing what comes natural, because the racing commision continues to allow certain trainers and drivers a free pass to prerace on an unlevel playing field.

[Trotman]

Botster I'm sure there is more to come and certain trainers and vets will be getting their due. In Wallis's case Linda could be done too,stay tuned. Piroski was never much and in fact probably screwed more fixes up than he helped. Forward couldn't make it on the WEG circuit because of the booze and drugs and his one dimensional go to the front and try and hang on that trainers couldn't trust him with a horse. He always knew better than the trainer. Art was the one the ORC had point the finger for a deal, but this is rumor just now.

[botster]

Botster I'm sure there is more to come and certain trainers and vets will be getting their due. In Wallis's case Linda could be done too,stay tuned. Piroski was never much and in fact probably screwed more fixes up than he helped. Forward couldn't make it on the WEG circuit because of the booze and drugs and his one dimensional go to the front and try and hang on that trainers couldn't trust him with a horse. He always knew better than the trainer. Art was the one the ORC had point the finger for a deal, but this is rumor just now.

Appreciate your insight on this subject.I sincerly hope they do dig deeper and clean some house.Just maybe here in the states this will spark an investigation, LORD knows we need it.

[lamboguy]

You would be shocked if you were to know what is going on at these small tracks with small purses and miniscule pools.These guys would give a horse anything under the sun if they knew it were to go undetected.They are only doing what comes natural, because the racing commision continues to allow certain trainers and drivers a free pass to prerace on an unlevel playing field.the unlevel playing field has killed harness racing and is about to kill thoroughbred racing as well.

i will give these guys credit for having the courage to step up to the plate and take these actions.

as you know i hardly know a thing about harness. i like the game and often wonder why the sport is dead in these tracks up in canada along with the united states. this latest fiasco explains the reason as good as it can be explained in my mind. if they had more teeth to these moves and had a stronger commision i will predict that racing will make some sort of comeback in those jurisdictions.

the reason why i like harness is because i like seeing horses run every week and giving the owner a legitamate shot at making money. as is shown here there are cheaters cheating big time and those owners that play by the book are penalized and wind up leaving the game. they get frustrated and stop betting. i think 25% takeout in these tracks is crazy, it penalizes the people that show up at the actual track and love the sport. 25% takeout is no way to start a business. the 25% is for win, place and show as well as tricks.

[botster]

the unlevel playing field has killed harness racing and is about to kill thoroughbred racing as well.

i will give these guys credit for having the courage to step up to the plate and take these actions.

as you know i hardly know a thing about harness. i like the game and often wonder why the sport is dead in these tracks up in canada along with the united states. this latest fiasco explains the reason as good as it can be explained in my mind. if they had more teeth to these moves and had a stronger commision i will predict that racing will make some sort of comeback in those jurisdictions.

the reason why i like harness is because i like seeing horses run every week and giving the owner a legitamate shot at making money. as is shown here there are cheaters cheating big time and those owners that play by the book are penalized and wind up leaving the game. they get frustrated and stop betting. i think 25% takeout in these tracks is crazy, it penalizes the people that show up at the actual track and love the sport. 25% takeout is no way to start a business. the 25% is for win, place and show as well as tricks.

There are still many good owners around that have left the game, because of the cheating and the inept course that the racing commisions have decided to take in not going after trainers who continually scheme with vets and win at ridiculous rates.The game must first be healed with the inward parts before we can think about lowering the takeouts for the outward patrons.We need the new generation of two dollar bettors to come back to the track and that means they first need to see new blood interested within the inside of the game to spread the word.NOTHING we do outwardly to the existing fan or even the average gambler will save this sport.

The average active harness person who holds a license exists within generations of the same families.They knows what is going on and they have become blazay about the industry and stay in it, because the love of the game, or they can't do anything else.The fact is there are less and less of these active members as life takes it's course and there are no new ones to replace them.

As much as we fans can preach the entertainment value of the sport it will get NO twenty year old person interested.Lowering the takeout will NOT get that same person interested either.Maybe a serious gambler or two,but will that save the sport? The greed factor has taken over and those in power have decided to take their weekly paychecks and do squat to take the innititive to do what needs to be done.

[wilderness]

Harness drivers cleared of charges (http://www.windsorstar.com/Harness+drivers+cleared+charges/5331553/story.html#ixzz1Wc5JgMrg)

The Windsor Star
By Bob Duff,
The Windsor Star August 31, 2011