No summer races means layoffs.Flamboro Downs will hold 100 races this year and none during June, July, August and September, according to area MPP Ted McMeekin.

That’s down from 188 last year.

The shortened season means an unconfirmed number of layoffs.

Staff were reportedly notified the past couple of days that they’ll be out of a job comes month’s end.

The news does not surprise Brian Tropea, general manager of the Ontario Harness Horse Association.

“Whatever the number, it’s better than us closing the track altogether, as it looked it would be,” said Howard Blank, spokesperon of Flamboro Downs owner Great Canadian Gaming.

Insiders say racetracks will get half of what they got under the revenue-sharing deal that ended March 31 and that’s not enough to keep the horses running as before.

McMeekin says most tracks have entered into rental agreements with the province to host slots and made transition agreements on racing, adding the racing season will be run on a circuit system through the various tracks.

While Flamboro Downs prizes totalled $17.5 million last year, Tropea expects they will come in at about $6.5 million this year.

He says horse owners are leaving the province to chase purses elsewhere and everyone linked to the industry is hurting.

According to the Ontario Racing Commission, horse racing and breeding employs 37,000, pays $1.3 billion in wages and salaries and is the third largest agricultural industry next to dairy and beef.

But McMeekin says horse racing employs more like 23,000 and is convinced the industry had to transform in order to stand on its own feet and predicts about 60 per cent of the industry will survive under the new funding.