As a part of the branding campaign, participating racetracks will receive message board, track announcer, and race day program advertising in support of each Breeders' Cup Stakes program race. Since 1984, Breeders' Cup has paid out more than $300 million in purses and awards through the World Thoroughbred Championships and its year-round racing programs.In Breeders' Cup Stakes program races, Breeders' Cup nominated horses run for the total purse. Non-nominated horses compete only for the purse money provided by the host racing association.
A national stakes program funded in part by Breeders' Cup Ltd. has been re-branded to distinguish it from the "Road to the World Thoroughbred Championships" series.The Breeders' Cup National Stakes program will be called the Breeders' Cup Stakes program beginning this year. The stakes program, now in its sixth year, features 95 races funded jointly by Breeders' Cup and 44 participating racetracks. Total purses for the 2002 series will be $17 million, which includes $6.1 million in purses and awards allocated by Breeders' Cup."The Breeders' Cup Stakes program will continue to provide multiple opportunities for horsemen across the U.S. and Canada to earn Breeders' Cup funds throughout the year," said D.G. Van Clief, Jr., president of Breeders' Cup and vice chairman of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association. "We will be displaying the original Breeders' Cup logo in signage and advertising at Stakes program races to create awareness and continue to emphasize the importance of Breeders' Cup nominations at all levels. At the same time, we are re-branding the program to distinguish it from our 'Road to the World Thoroughbred Championships' series, which will focus on televised graded races and individually sponsored divisions during the second half of the year."
