YEA going horse racing alone

Standardbred horse racing will return to Cornerstone Raceway this summer.

While the province announced it was cutting funding for races last spring, the Yorkton Exhibition Association announced Friday it will be taking on the full cost of the annual race meet.

"The Board of Directors of the Yorkton Exhibition Association have approved a 12 day Harness Race Meet for 2013," explained Grant Neil the YEA Director in charge of racing.

Shaun Morin, general manager of YEA said the funding for 2013 is being looked at as sort of one-year bridge funding as the association continues to investigate alternate funding options.

In 2012 the government, through the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority had provided a grant of $320,000 used for 16 days of racing, $214,400 for race purses and $105,600 which went to operations.

Morin said the YEA has been in discussions with SLGA to have the grant reinstated, but it had become obvious that was not going to happen.

Neal said they have also looked at alternate funding sources.

"YEA has entered into an "Agreement in Principle" with Prairieland Park (Marquis Downs) in Saskatoon to explore "mutually beneficial" funding opportunities for horse racing on a going forward basis. Prairieland currently conducts a thoroughbred race meet during the summer," he said.

But again there was no way funding could be negotiated for 2013, said Morin, adding that left the YEA facing a difficult decision.

"Do we throw in the towel and give up on horse racing or move forward looking at a large financial loss?" he said.

Morin said the YEA Board of Directors deliberated long and hard before deciding to take on the risk.

"The Board has decided it will support horse racing," he said. "They believe in horse racing, in what it does for our community.

"They're not willing to let standardbred racing die in this province without a fight."

Morin said they will continue to lobby for support for exhibition operated racing in the province, adding they knew they had to keep racing alive to be relevant.

"It's very hard to lobby when not racing," he said.

Long time owner/driver/trainer Brian Gray said Friday's announcement was generally positive.

"I stuck my neck out a lot when I came back here on optimism," said the racer who headed here after the meet in Edmonton concluded.

Gray said he was hearing positive things, and then that racing might not happen.

"It was actually getting a little bit stressful," he said, adding the announcement at least means racing.

"To be at a press conference where someone actually tells you something tangible is a breath of fresh air," he said.

Gray said it is unfortunate they will have four fewer days of racing, and expected smaller purses, but he said he hopes it's a one-year step back in order to make bigger strides in the years ahead.

Owner/trainer Shawn Worthen agreed the announced was "good," but lamented the government had not came back on-side. "I was a little surprised the government didn't give us any money."

But like Gray, Worthen said the important thing was to keep standardbred racing alive, pending finding new funding sources.

At least with races people with "horses in the field will be racing this year." He said it keeps the industry alive for owners, trainers and drivers, as well as local fans.

Neal said the provincial government remains supportive of racing, albeit without providing dollars.

"While the traditional grant structure for horse racing in the province has been eliminated, the government continues to endorse "self sustaining race meets" run by Exhibition Associations in Yorkton and Saskatoon," he said.

With the YEA covering all the costs for this year's racing, there will need to be additional fund raising efforts.

"YEA recognizes that there is considerable work to be done through the Sponsorship Program for racing; however, we are confident that the business community and the individuals from Yorkton and surrounding area will continue to endorse this exciting summer event," said Neal.

Opening day will be Friday, June 7, with post-time at 5:45 p.m.. Races will be held each Friday during June, July and August with a special race card on Father's Day, Sunday, June 16.