Breeding seasons to more than 140 stallions from 20 states will be up for bid in an online auction for the ITBOA Stallion Stakes Dec. 7-14.
The auction is sponsored by the Iowa Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association. The proceeds will fund three stakes for offspring of stallions whose seasons are sold at the auction: the 2017 Iowa Stallion Futurity and two 2018 races for 3-year-olds, one for colts and one for fillies.
Since 2008 the Stallion Futurity and Stallion Stakes have each averaged more than $90,000 in purses. The stakes for fillies will be the first for the program.
A $5,000 bonus will be paid to the winner of any of the three races if the foal is conceived from a breeding season purchased at the auction.
"Frequently, you might get the stallion for a lesser price than you normally get," ITBOA president Deb Leech said in a release. "If I live in Arizona and there's an Arizona stallion I want to breed to, I may get him for less than I'd get breeding to him in another way."
Since going to an online auction in 2010, the proceeds have nearly doubled, from $50,000 in 2009 to $91,220 in 2012.
Stallion donations are still being accepted. A $5,000 bonus will also be paid to the stallion donor of the winning horse in each race. In 2013, Mighty Acres in Oklahoma received $10,000 when offspring from its stallions Kipling and Big Sugarush won both races. Past recipients of the bonus include Adena Springs, Alfred Nuckols Jr., Margaux Farm, and Special K Stables.
The auction does not require bidders to manually increase bids. They can enter a maximum bid, and it will automatically increase marginally until the maximum is surpassed.
The auction closes at 7 p.m. CST Dec. 14. A list of the stallions nominated and details of the auction are available here.
