Atlantic Sires Stakes events will take place in the province of New Brunswick this year
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The 2011 Atlantic Sires Stakes season was in jeopardy due to a funding shortfall for the program in New Brunswick this race season. However, the Atlantic Standardbred Breeders Association and Horse Racing New Brunswick worked diligently over the past month to ensure Atlantic Sires Stakes events would take place in the province this year.
In recognizing the vital importance of the ATSS program to the harness racing industry, HRNB made substantial changes to its race program to ensure the stakes program would continue in the province.
“We realize how important the Atlantic Sires Stakes program is to the harness racing industry and the entire agricultural economy in this province," said Horse Racing New Brunswick Executive Director Jeff Malloy. "This stakes program ensures New Brunswick horse owners continue to buy local, breed local and race local and this benefits us all.”
The ASBA and HRNB have agreed to a reduced slate of events this year and some events have been rescheduled.
The first New Brunswick event will take place on July 1 when the three-year-old pacing fillies meet for competition at Fredericton Raceway. The schedule will continue on August 3 in Woodstock with the two and three-year-old trotters. On August 30, the two-year-old pacing colts will meet at Exhibition Park Raceway in Saint John. The EPR action will continue on September 2 and October 1 with the three-year-old pacing colts and two-year-old pacing fillies, respectively.
“The ASBA has been promoting the standardbred horse industry for over 40 years and each of the three participating provinces are an integral part of the Atlantic Sires Stakes program, therefore the ASBA is pleased to see the program continue in New Brunswick this year,” said ASBA Executive Director Lynne MacLennan.
The ATSS program is steeped in history and has the distinction of being the first sires stakes program in Canada. Last year the ATSS program paid out over $1.1 million in purses and the program includes some of the best young racing talent in the Maritimes. The series also continues to attract racing fans, both old and new, to race tracks across the Atlantic provinces.
(Atlantic Standardbred Breeders Association)
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• More On ATSS Funding Crisis
• Funding Issue Cancels ATSS Event
This is excellent. I'm very
This is excellent. I'm very happy to hear this news. It would be great to see some new innovative ideas presented to ensure that racing in New Brunswick can not only stay afloat, but really take off. As the old saying goes, "the best defense, is a good offense".