Driver Upgrade
To be eligible to have a category of driver licence upgraded, the holder must fulfill the following requirements:

1. The holder of an "F" category of driver licence will be eligible to upgrade to a "C" licence:
(a) after having held an "F" driver licence for a minimum of one full year;
(b) after having completed an application for a "C" driver licence; and
(c) after having driven in at least five races.

2. The holder of a "C" category of driver licence will be eligible to be upgraded to a "B" category licence:
(a) after having driven a satisfactory rated mile;
(b) after having accumulated 50 points in Qualifying races;
(c) after having accumulated 75 points in Overnight events in accordance with Rule 107(7); and
(d) is recommended, in writing, for a "B" driver licence by a Judge licensed for extended meetings.

3. The holder of a "B" category of driver licence will be eligible to be upgraded to an "A" category driver licence:
(a) after having held a "B" licence for a minimum of one full year;
(b) after having driven satisfactorily in at least forty (40) purse races during the prior eighteen (18) months; and
(c) is recommended, in writing, for an "A" driver licence by a Judge licensed for extended meetings.

4. For purposes of obtaining a recommendation under Rule 107(3)(c) or formulating a recommendation in accordance with Rule 107(3)(c) the following factors, among others, shall be considered:
(a) competitiveness and safety;
(b) tenure and experience driving in premier and/or stake events shall be considered an asset;
(c) frequency of starts;
(d) overall demeanor with officials and judges;
(e) leadership qualities and overall competence;
(f) overall driving record that includes:
(i) Actions that may be detrimental to the sport of harness racing;
(ii) Incidence of positive tests as a trainer;
(iii) Careless driving infractions.
(g) overall record of infractions and the nature of those infractions.

5. The procedure shall be as follows:
(a) The applicant driver is required to declare to a local judge his/her desire to upgrade his licence from "B" to "A".
(b) The applicant driver will deliver to the local judge a written request accompanied by five (5) video replays of individual races that he thinks best demonstrate his qualifications and driving skills to warrant an "A" licence.
(c) If prepared to do so, the local judge will make a recommendation through the Director of Racing to the Senior Judges’ Group.
(d) The Director of Racing will submit to the Senior Judges’ Group:
(i) the driver’s record
(ii) the recommendation of the local judge
(iii) the five (5) official video race replays.
(e) The Senior Judges’ Group will jointly consider:
(i) the application and the driver’s record,
(ii) the recommendation of the local judge and the video replays.
(f) The Senior Judges’ Group will reach a consensus on whether or not a recommendation is made to Standardbred Canada.
(g) If the recommendation is positive, the Director of Racing will forward the recommendation to Standardbred Canada.
(h) If it is negative, the consensus of the Senior Judges’ Group will be conveyed to the applicant driver with reasons as to why the licence will not be upgraded. In addition, the applicant will be informed as to what he needs to focus on before re-applying.

6. In the determination of whether a driver is satisfactory, the Judges shall evaluate the driver’s performance:
(a) while coming to and while at the starting gate;
(b) while leaving the gate and positioning the horse;
(c) when confronted with situations during the race;
(d) while in the homestretch and during the finish of the race; and
(e) his overall performance and conduct during the race.

7. One point shall be credited for satisfactory performance in each of the five areas specified in the foregoing. The holder of a "C" category licence must attain 50 points, in qualifying races before being permitted to drive in overnight events, and 75 points in overnight events to be eligible to be upgraded to a "B" category licence. Points awarded for each category of area shall be duly recorded in electronically maintained official performance records.

8. With respect to Qualifying and "C" Drivers:
(a) A rated mile must be successfully completed within three (3) attempts or the applicant will be required to wait a period of three (3) full months before attempting again. The time of the rated mile must be within five (5) seconds of the qualifying time at the track where the rated mile is attempted allowing for allowances given by the Judges for the track conditions on that date.
(b) All qualifying drivers and "C" drivers qualified for overnight races must present themselves to the judges, before every qualifying race or overnight drive, thus affording not only the judges, but the driver the opportunity to discuss their previous drive or any other questions or problems that they may have, which in turn will afford a better working relationship between drivers and officials.
(c) All qualifying drivers and "C" drivers qualified for overnight races who are inactive for one (1) full year from their last recorded drive will lose all of their accumulated points and will be required to start at zero (0) points, but may remain with the same category of driver licence.
(d) All qualifying drivers and "C" drivers qualified for overnight races who are inactive for two (2) full years or more from their last recorded drive must reapply and fulfill all requirements of a participant applying for a driver licence for the first time. (e.g. references, medical, exam).
(e) All qualifying drivers and "C" drivers qualified for overnight races must complete all requirements of the point system within three (3) years of their "first" recorded drive in an overnight race or will be required to start again in overnight races at zero (0) points.

Upgrading to "A" Trainer Licence
To be eligible for an "A" category trainer licence, the applicant must:
(1) have completed two full years as an "F" trainer or two full years as a groom and "F" trainer combined;
(2) submit a completed application;
(3) have two favourable recommendations from licensed drivers, "A" trainers or race officials in response to confidential reference inquiries provided by Standardbred Canada; and
(4) submit to a written examination and achieve a passing grade if a trainer exam has not already been written.
RACETRACKSRace Tracks RACE CALENDARRace Calendar STAKES SUMMARYStakes Summary JUDGES ONLY
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