Ajax Downs CEO Emilio Trotta and QROOI President Bob Broadstock have gone on the record as saying that Ajax Downs in Ontario will host live Quarter Horse racing in 2014.
Their comments have come via an article on durhamregion.com, which states that a agreement in principle has been reached. The report states that members of the Quarter Horse industry met with John Snobelen of Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food on February 16 to discuss the agreement.
The article has quoted Trotta as saying that the tentative agreement “means we’re racing this year, first and foremost. Which is great news.”
Trotta later went on to caution that “A lot of the details have to be worked out. We have a general agreement in principle. We’re working with industry folks on the details.”
Broadstock said that it is good news that the Ontario Quarter Horse industry knows it will be racing for the next five years.
“Quarter-horse racing will exist, with a little smaller footprint,” said Broadstock, who added that without the funding arrangement the breed would not be racing in Ontario this year. Broadstock also noted that there were 27 race days in 2013. The number of race dates for 2014 is still unknown.
“We had an open discussion with John for a couple of hours,” said Broadstock. “If all the things we were talking about come through, the industry will have a brighter future. The message is positive news. It’s been negative for the last two years.”
(With files from durhamregion.com)