Horse Racing New Brunswick Executive Director Jeff Malloy has gone on the record in regard to the province's funding shortfall for the Atlantic Sires Stakes

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An article by Bill Hunt in the Daily Gleaner explains that the schedule of live racing at Fredericton Raceway and Exhibition Park Raceway has been altered in order to cover just over half of the $100,000 the provincial government withdrew from the ATSS program.

The report gives a full explanation of the new schedule, but also gave Malloy the chance to praise the horsepeople that made it all possible.

"The big co-operation was on the part of the horsemen," Malloy was quoted as saying in the report. "They understood the industry was in a tough spot. They realize the stakes races are important and realize they're important for the long term sustain ability of the industry. It puts some extra pressure on the stables being forced to truck back and forth between locations, but we're appreciative that they were able to make that sacrifice."

In regard to the situation with the provincial government and funding going forward, Malloy said that, "They showed interest, and they understand it's a big part of the industry, but they couldn't fund it for this year. We understand where their pressures are. We're hoping that next year there might be a different outcome. At this point, we're happy to find a way to keep New Brunswick in."

(With files from the Daily Gleaner)

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