Owners of horse disqualified as winner of 2017 Canadian Derby lose appeal

EDMONTON — The owners of a horse that was disqualified after initially winning the Canadian Derby more than three years ago have lost a bid to reclaim the title.

Rollingson Racing Stables had argued before the Alberta Court of Appeal that Chief Know It All should be reinstated as the winner of the 2017 thoroughbred horse race — the largest in Western Canada.

The race was held in Edmonton on Aug. 19, 2017, and about a year later Horse Racing Alberta’s appeal tribunal disqualified Chief Know It All for interfering with another horse.

Two separate court rulings upheld the decision.

Two horses that had tied for second were declared co-winners.

Rollingson Racing argued that the appeal tribunal did not have enough members to make the decision to disqualify, because one of them had been let go partway through the proceedings.

The Appeal Court has dismissed the argument.

The court says a section of Alberta’s horse racing act could be interpreted to allow a former member to return so as to conclude a complaint that was already before the tribunal.

The Canadian Press