The California Thoroughbred Breeders Association announced that enhancements to the California-bred incentive and racing program will begin in late September during the Oak Tree Racing Association meet at Santa Anita and the California Authority of Racing Fairs meet at Golden Gate Fields.
The CTBA announcement said the lucrative additions are the result of an agreement reached by the CTBA, Thoroughbred Owners of California, and the various racing associations.
With temporary funding from the California Marketing Committee, a lucrative bonus will be paid to all California-bred maiden allowance winners in Northern and Southern California beginning Sept. 30, 2009, according to the CTBA. The organization said long-term funding for this program will be provided by legislation that both re-allocates a small portion of existing incentive award money as well as an additional matching amount from TOC. That legislation, AB 1578, is an Assembly G. O. Committee bill that is currently scheduled to be heard in the Senate.
“We are optimistic that these significant increases in purse money and opportunities will certainly boost the value of Cal-breds and provide the ample return for those breeding and/or purchasing young horses,” said Doug Burge, executive vice president and general manager of CTBA. “With the Breeders’ Cup once again being held during Oak Tree, this is the opportune time to show the rest of the country just how much more valuable Cal-breds will become.
"The TOC is proud to partner with the CTBA on this new program, which we know will benefit both owners and breeders in the state, and thus benefit the entire California racing industry. I look forward to working with the CTBA on more projects in the future," said Marsha Naify, TOC chair.
The bonus amount will be an additional $20,000 in the South and $10,000 in the North, according to the CTBA.
Here are the key provisions of the new plan:
I. Owner(s) of a registered California-bred maiden shall be paid a $20,000 owner’s bonus for winning a maiden allowance race in Southern California, and a $10,000 owner’s bonus for winning a maiden allowance race in the North (paid directly to the owner within 30 days after the win).
II. California-bred maiden $40,000 claiming race in Southern California shall be raised to $50,000-$40,000. California-bred $50,000 or less maiden winners will be eligible for the current $40,000 or less starter races.
The bonus will go to the owner of the winner and will be paid directly by the CTBA within 30 days after the race. To put this into perspective: In Southern California, at the recently concluded Santa Anita Park meet, a California-bred maiden allowance race, going long, carried a purse of $46,000, of which $27,600 goes to the winner. Under the new scenario, the winner would receive the $27,600 plus an additional $20,000 for a net amount of nearly $50,000. In the North, the same applies with the owner receiving $10,000 over and above the purse earned.
With most, if not all, of the California-bred or California-sired maiden special wins in the North coming in open races, the owner would also receive the current owner bonus available in open company as well as the new amount.
In addition, State-bred wins shall not be considered for eligibility purposes in open first condition allowance races for 2-year-olds. This shall include wins in any state-bred 2-year-old stakes. State-bred wins shall also not be considered for eligibility purposes in open first condition allowance races for 3-year-olds. This shall include wins in any State-bred stakes. And in all “two other than” open allowance races and above, all State-bred wins (including Stakes) will not be considered for eligibility purposes.
