The Principles of Genetic Research and its Impact on the Thoroughbred Racing World

Article by Holly Robilliard and Cassie Fraser

GMO Thoroughbreds? Superhorses created in the lab? Is genetic doping a real “thing”? It’s time for a reality check and a good, hard look at what’s real, or even possible, and how it can hurt or help the Thoroughbred industry.

Breeders, trainers, and owners continually seek a competitive edge, striving to produce horses with the speed, stamina, and resilience needed to succeed on the racetrack. Concurrently, there is increasing pressure and responsibility to minimize animal discomfort, injury, and death in a public forum. Therefore we must carefully examine and balance all the tools at our disposal before determining which ones to use and how.  

Interestingly, there is a growing technology that may be of more notable controversy than even horse racing: The power of genetics. Perhaps the greatest power man has ever wielded, genetics has sparked numerous debates over the good and evil it can bring. As with most new things, there is a significant fear of the unknown, so how do we even begin to understand it? In short: research, homework, and fact-finding. Let’s look at what is fact, scientifically known, and possible today, and then consider what may be possible in the future. 

Genetic Influences on Equine Performance

DNA, often called the “blueprint of life,” holds the key to a horse’s inheritance and development, from its physical prowess, size, and speed, to temperament and abilities. By studying their genetics, we can unravel the intricate code that dictates the pre-existing traits and characteristics of these powerful athletes. This information can then be utilized in our breeding and performance programs to improve suitability and success, all while upholding ethical standards and preserving the integrity of the sport.

The general rule for Mendelian traits is that a foal inherits one allele from each parent for a given gene. If the inherited alleles are the same, the horse is called homozygous for that gene. If they are different, they are heterozygous. As heterozygosity goes up, genetic diversity is increased, resulting in more variation in the genetic content. This results in a greater adaptability to environmental stressors and change, leading to a more robust animal and population. With equine genetics, we tend to focus on three kinds of genes: Causatives - genes/variants that directly cause a trait or condition, Correlatives - genes/variants that appear alongside, or in common, with a trait or condition, and Risks - genes/variants that increase their likelihood/risk of acquiring that trait or condition. 

A Thoroughbred study by Momozawa et al. found an association between the dopamine d4 receptor (DRD4) gene and a measure of temperament. In the study, “curiosity”, defined as, “an interest in novel objects and a willingness to approach them”, was prevalent in horses with a particular gene variant. Horses preferring to observe carefully, from a distance, were of the opposite variant type, named “vigilance”. Although further research is required, it is not unreasonable to consider that temperament affects a horse's ability to learn, break from the gate, or handle the pressure of large crowds on race day.

Another performance trait, perhaps of more notable interest to Thoroughbred enthusiasts is the “speed” gene, myostatin (MSTN). This insertion results in increased muscle growth in horses and other mammals. Genetically, horses can have two copies of the “Sprint” variant, two copies of the “Endurance” variant, or one copy of each, “Sprint/Endurance.” Thoroughbreds homozygous for the Sprint variant tend to excel earlier in age, at shorter distances (8 furlongs or less) with quick bursts of speed. Horses homozygous for Endurance excel later, and at longer distances (9 furlongs or more). However, heterozygous horses won at all distances, having both quick bursts of speed  and endurance capabilities (Fig 1).

Using genome-wide association studies (GWAS), scientists can analyze equine DNA and identify specific genes associated with various health and performance traits. This research holds immense promise, pinpointing genes responsible for desirable traits like speed, temperament, gait, size, and overall health. So how can we use it to produce horses with optimized genetic profiles for racing, while minimizing risk and injury? The answer lies within our breeding programs.

Breeding & Buying Optimized With Genetics

For generations, breeders have been making selections for observed traits, such as pedigree, racing history, prior offspring performance, and conformation. Additionally, “Nicking,” the strategic crossing of certain lines with an observed affinity for one another, is another well-known method used to make breeding decisions. These techniques may be successful, as the chosen bloodlines possess underlying genetic traits that express and complement one another. Given science today, the next evolutionary step in this process is to genetically test and confirm the desired traits are present and will be passed on in the most advantageous combinations.

Inbreeding (having drastically reduced genetic diversity) poses a significant challenge within the Thoroughbred racing industry due to the closed nature of the studbook. Science shows that a 10% increase in inbreeding reduces a horse’s likelihood of successful racing by 7%. Essentially, higher genomic inbreeding correlates with poorer performance. Traditionally, we have relied on pedigree and conformation to make mating decisions. Today, using actual genetics, we can calculate accurate genomic inbreeding and work toward decreasing it. On paper, two mares (full siblings) would appear to have the same inbreeding value. In reality, they can differ greatly, and if bred to the same stallion, may produce foals with drastically higher, or lower, genomic inbreeding values.

Using myostatin again, let’s look at a stallion that, by conformation and pedigree, appears to be the perfect match for your mare. Genetically, the mare is Sprint/Endurance and the stallion is Sprint/Sprint. This would result in a foal who is 50% likely to be Sprint/Endurance and 50% likely to be Sprint/Sprint. Now, if you breed that same mare with a stallion who has, at a minimum, one copy of endurance, the foal would still have a 25% chance of being Sprint/Sprint. However, it would also have a 50% chance of being Sprint/Endurance, and a 25% likelihood of being Endurance/Endurance, giving it longer-distance capabilities.

Beyond discovering performance-related traits, genetic research plays a vital role in promoting the overall health and sustainability of the breed. Health and soundness risks, such as Recurrent Laryngeal Neuropathy (RLN), or “roaring”, Kissing Spines, and Tendinopathy are being actively developed as genetically testable variants. Some of these traits can limit a Thoroughbred's pre- or post-racing career. Other predispositions, like Chronic Idiopathic Anhidrosis (CIA), or “non-sweater,” or Fracture Risk, can be life-ending if they go undetected. 

Through the use of genetic testing and associated technologies, breeders can “Build-A-Horse” to their specifications by crossing specific sires and dams using confirmed, heritable genetics, that create that optimal foal. By making breeding decisions based on math and science, we can reduce the presence of undesirable health traits in our programs.

As more Thoroughbred owners utilize genetics, collaborating researchers will continue identifying areas of strength and vulnerability in health and performance. This knowledge empowers breeders and buyers to make informed decisions that preserve genetic diversity and ensure the long-term strength of Thoroughbred bloodlines. Given the considerable investment of both resources and effort involved in the production and training of horses destined for the track, decreasing risk and increasing financial management is paramount. Remarkably, the cost of utilizing genetic testing to ascertain a horse’s optimal race distance is less than one week's feed, and can ultimately save owners and breeders both time and money.

Navigating Ethical Considerations

As genetic research becomes increasingly integrated into the Thoroughbred racing industry, it’s wise to approach this technology with foresight instead of fear. Whilst it offers unprecedented opportunities for improvement and advancement, this research also carries the potential for unintended consequences and ethical dilemmas that must be carefully navigated. 

The topic of cloning has been hotly debated in the last decade. The first reaction appears to be to “ban” it in certain registries and competitions. Interestingly, the fears stoked by this technology have not materialized into truth for a seemingly simple reason: You can replicate the genetic code of an animal, but it’s another thing entirely to replicate the uterine environment, the training, feeding, life experiences, and competition circumstances.

Another recent concern within the industry is the concept of “gene doping” to create superhorses, which involves artificially modifying an athlete's genes to enhance their performance. For example, the myostatin gene may become the target of genome editing in horses, as it alters the amount and composition of muscle fiber types. Although there are no known foals born, to date, with genetically altered myostatin, could it happen? Maybe. Would the effect be instant in something like myostatin? No. Why? Because that’s not how it works! A live animal has a fully formed physical plan in place, especially for things such as muscle, tendons, and bone. Today’s most advanced gene therapies tend to be extremely targeted regions, take months to years to work, and are extraordinarily expensive. 

Assuming it’s possible to change the myostatin disposition of a horse, could we detect that it was manipulated? The answer, according to multiple experts, is a very strong, “maybe”. Technique and timing would matter as would the simple question of, “Could this foal’s parents have passed on this genotype?” As technology advances and provides the opportunity for a competitive edge, it’s safe to say that someone will try it. What then? The answer may just come down to numbers, like everything else on the track.

So, with all of this knowledge, can someone choose a bunch of genetic traits and create a Superhorse? Although you hear about it every day, complex genetic editing is just in its infancy. It is possible to change a gene or variant within an embryo- We’ve been doing it for decades already. So why not a Superhorse? Well…consider the following:

1. It’s not easy to insert a single correct genetic edit that results in a living animal. 

2. It takes a large number of iterations and time for that one change.

3. The process can be super expensive. Multiply this by many dollars and much more time for every additional genetic change you wish to add.

4. Once you’ve produced genetic change, now you have to wait years to see the foal perform at which point your choice of changes may no longer be the winning combination!

Although we are likely years away from this being a feasible, let alone common, issue, we need to take steps now to understand genetics and devise a reasonable path forward. Preventing the misuse of gene editing could be as simple as creating a standardized genetic testing requirement via hair sample in addition to the standard parentage verification. This initial hair sample would serve as a genetic baseline, offering a comparison for those taken at a later date when genetic modifications are suspected. 

By adhering to rigorous standards of ethical conduct, transparency, and accountability, we can harness the full potential of genetic research while safeguarding the welfare and integrity of Thoroughbred racing.

Conclusion

Genetic research and testing represent a game-changing advancement for the Thoroughbred racing industry. It is a powerful tool for enhancing the quality, health, and performance of racehorses- all of which are required to maintain the sport's integrity. As we increase our understanding of equine genetics and discover new traits applicable to the Thoroughbred, we can produce healthier, more competitive horses, while reducing the historical struggles of inbreeding and breakdown. Although we must be careful to adhere to the ethical code set forth within the industry, by utilizing genetics to build the next generation of improved thoroughbreds, we can take ownership of the technology and usher in a new era of excellence and innovation within the sport.

Sources

Hill, E. W., Stoffel, M. A., McGivney, B. A., MacHugh, D. E., & Pemberton, J. M. (2022). Inbreeding depression and the probability of racing in the Thoroughbred horse. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 289(1977). https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2022.0487.

Momozawa, Y., Takeuchi, Y., Kusunose, R., Kikusui, T., & Mori, Y. (2005). Association between equine temperament and polymorphisms in dopamine D4 receptor gene. Mammalian genome, 16, 538-544. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00335-005-0021-3

Rooney, M. F., Hill, E. W., Kelly, V. P., & Porter, R. K. (2018). The “speed gene” effect of myostatin arises in Thoroughbred horses due to a promoter proximal SINE insertion. PLoS One, 13(10). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0205664 

Tozaki, T., Ohnuma, A., Nakamura, K., Hano, K., Takasu, M., Takahashi, Y., ... & Nagata, S. I. (2022). Detection of indiscriminate genetic manipulation in Thoroughbred racehorses by targeted resequencing for gene-doping control. Genes, 13(9), 1589. https://doi.org/10.3390/genes13091589

State Breeding Incentives for 2024 - on a state by state basis

Article by Ken Snyder

Nineteenth century British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli gets credit for coining the phrase “there are lies, damned lies, and statistics.”

Jockey club statistics showing the 2022 foal crop to be 18,200 in the U.S.—down from 19,200 in 2021--might come under the heading of “damned lie.” (Numbers for 2023 aren’t in yet.) 

The phrase is a caveat or admonition to not jump to conclusions with questionable deductions and pronouncements to what, in truth, are damned lies. First, the industry isn’t going over a cliff with foal counts. It operates in a free-market economy. There are gains and losses, “bubbles” when artificially high prices exceed real value, and “corrections” when prices drop to what they should be. 

With foal count, horse population, and racing in general, there are positive, remarkable achievements. In Pennsylvania, the state has experienced increases in foal count and anticipates more. Okay, it’s one state, but it belies that belief that the sky is falling.

Here are the numbers for PA in registered foals: 2017-549; 2018-606; 2019-623; 691 in 2020. Yes, there was a dip in numbers when a former governor attempted to raid the Racehorse Development Trust Fund (2021-593; 413-2022). But, said Brian Sanfrantello, executive secretary of the PA Horse Breeding Association, the foal count has bottomed out and the breeding industry should return to increasing foal numbers with a new governor. Further, five new stallions have come to the state for breeding in 2024.

A Stallion Series is a crown jewel of a breeding program that makes Pennsylvania breeding and racing literally worthwhile. Launched in 2022 it offered $600,000 in purses for stakes races for PA-bred two-year-old colts and fillies over two days of racing. On the first race day, colts and fillies raced for $100,000-dollar purses each. On the second day, they ran for $200,000. The Series attacked one problem for PA breeders and appealed to those out of state. 

“It’s costing forty thousand to fifty thousand dollars from the time you breed the mare to the time the horse races,” said Sanfrantello. “We’re trying to get the money back to the breeder as fast as possible.” 

The means this year, in addition to this Series, are eight two-year-old stakes races, four of which are for PA breds. For non-Series and other races, breeder awards are 40% for PA-sired horses (compared to 20% for non-PA-breds). “If it’s a fifty-thousand-dollar race, the winner would get sixty percent of the purse or thirty-thousand dollars. Plus, if it’s an open race not restricted, there is a forty percent owner bonus added to the purse or twelve-thousand dollars for total earnings of forty-two-thousand dollars for owners. A breeder-owner would get an additional sixteen-thousand eight-hundred dollars. The total? Fifty-eight thousand, eight hundred dollars.

The stunner is what breeder awards have totaled. The most striking example? Uptowncharlybrown won two of thirteen starts  and $125,000 in his career but he has earned in breeder and stallion awards $869,080.

Virginia, with twenty-seven race dates in 2023 at the Commonwealth’s lone racetrack, Colonial Downs, is obviously at the other end of the spectrum from year-round racing in Pennsylvania and other states. However, the Virginia Thoroughbred Association, of which Debbie Easter is executive director, is outdistancing any other state in how fast they are growing their racing industry.

We said, ‘What the heck, we may not be the biggest breeding state any longer, but what we can do and what we do have are farms and the training centers to raise horses.”

Starting basically from scratch when Colonial Downs re-opened in 2019 after closing in 2013, the foal crops had gotten down to a rock bottom, one hundred. This year Easter projects the crop will be 160, a 60% increase. Small potatoes in the general scheme of things but not the only means of building racing. 

“Starting this year, we’re paying for first, second and third anywhere in North America if you’re a breeder and bred a horse in Virginia,” said Easter. “By us paying win, place and show in North America all year long, that makes our program year-round. That’s a big advantage, we think, over other breeding programs. You don’t have to race in our state to get our money.” The award is 34% of the earnings added to the purse. Historical Horse Racing (HHR) generates the award money, which has increased the breeding fund from $500,000 to $2 million dollars in five years. 

Virginia has also initiated a “Certified Program” which covers a horse registered by The Jockey Club and conceived and foaled outside of Virginia, but residing in the state for at least a six-month consecutive period prior to December 31st of its two-year-old year.

“Our Certified guys are averaging about eight months or so a year here. We’re bringing in almost nine hundred horses in a year. We’ve grown the population of Thoroughbred horses in the last five years faster than we could ever have done it breeding horses. It absolutely saved our farms and training centers and the infrastructure that supports those farms.,” said Easter.

The big development with New York is state-bred, 2024 foals will run for the same purse amounts as open-company races. This year at Saratoga, maiden races restricted to two-year-old New York breds ran for $88,000 compared to $105,000 for two-year-olds in open company maiden races. ”It’s something that breeders in NY and horsemen who compete with NY breds have been advocating for a long time,” said Najja Thompson, executive director of the New York Thoroughbred Breeders.

Thompson added that this year there are also increases for New York breds whether sired by state sires or sired outside the state. For 2024, breeder awards are 40% for first place, 20% for second place, and 10% for third place, with a $40,000 cap award. Last year’s awards were 30% for first place and 15% for place and show finishes. A cap per award remains at $40,000.

Maryland’s biggest innovation this year is a two-tiered system, one tier for Maryland-sired and Maryland bred horses, and a second tier for Maryland-breds only. The system will begin with 2025 foals. “We are going to have a two-tiered system to try and reward MD sires as they do in Pennsylvania and other states,” said Cricket Goodall, executive director of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association.

Maryland’s best days will be when the $385 million Pimlico project is completed to rebuild the track from the ground up and also add a training center, according to Goodall.

“I think that you have to have a look to the future to be competitive,” said Goodall. She compares the project, which is projected for completion In what Goodall projects as “four to five years” to New York’s investment in Belmont Park. “Maryland is looking to be one of the states that is investing in racing and breeding.

Meanwhile, Goodall said Maryland is one of the states where stallion books have gone up this year.

Kentucky, of course, is the kingpin of American Thoroughbred breeding. While foal crops nationally have declined, Kentucky, from 2012 to 2021 increased in registered foals by just under 10%. Of the five top states for registered foals—Kentucky, Florida, California, New York, and Louisiana—Kentucky was the only one without a decrease in those years.

Strangely, the number of yearlings sold in North America in 2023—8,303, increased from 8,061 in 2013. That doesn’t correspond to decreasing foal crops. 

The principal reason for the overall decline in foals is increasing expenses, according to Duncan Taylor, senior Thoroughbred consultant and co-owner with three brothers of Taylor Made Farm just outside Lexington, Kentucky. “Costs just keep increasing, and they increase for all horses the same. I’m talking about daily board rate in Kentucky. The last eight years, probably, it has gone from thirty-five thousand to forty-five thousand dollars.” 

Vet care has gone up as well. “I had a mare that had to have a C-section. My bill was twenty-two thousand dollars,” he added.

“People can’t stomach these expenses on a less expensive horse. You got a million-dollar horse, you think ‘I’ve got a shot at getting it back because I could sell a five-hundred thousand, six-hundred-thousand-dollar yearling out of that horse.’”

The upshot is competition for the better horses offered in sales--what Taylor calls “more supply of a higher quality.” But what that also means, he said, is “It pushes the people in the lower part of the market out.” Hence, fewer breeders and foals.

Kentucky is awash in cash, which Taylor believes could stem the trend toward continuing foal crop decreases nationally. “All the purse money that is available to race for now, if it stays as good as it is, I don’t think we’ll continue to decline.”

Societal and cultural issues—challenges beyond, perhaps, the reach of horse racing as a sport and industry—are also factors in foal crops. Times have changed.

“At one time in this country, most of the large racing stables were owned by the kings of industry, with the horses coming from their own farms,” said Kent Barnes, former stallion manager at Shadwell’s Nashwan Farm in Lexington who currently directs the stallion division of Spy Coast Farm also in Lexington. “Unfortunately, in many cases, successive generations have either not shared in the passion, or had the wealth to carry on with these large operations, and most of these stables have been either dismantled or severely diminished.“

Duncan Taylor echoes Barnes’ observation. “The underlying condition is not enough people are in love that much with horses to where they want to have a big farm and raise them and then sell them. The condition is less breeders and that goes along with the declining foal crop.”

Ideas abound, some feasible, some not, some fantasy for getting foal crops back up. 

Evan Ferraro, director of marketing for Fasig Tipton, sees a breeding counterpart to racing syndicates as a potential answer. Racing syndicates both large entities and small, are popular. If there’s a way to encourage breeding syndicates that spread risk, they could be appealing.

Breeding to sell rather than race could be incentivized, according to Barnes. “I believe financial obligations are the primary barrier preventing more breeders from racing their own product.  A few years ago, several stallion owners came up with novel approaches to help the breeder decrease their risk going into the sales. Perhaps this same approach could be extended to allow breeders who choose not to sell to mitigate some of their risk going into racing. Stud fees could be deducted from race earnings. To make it more attractive to the stallion owners, there could be a sliding scale where they earn a higher percentage based on the horse’s performance.”

No matter the challenges, there are obviously bright, experienced, and energetic people at the controls of parts of the racing industry—people like Evan Ferraro, Debbie Easter, Brian Sanfrantello, Kent Barnes, Duncan Taylor and many more.

There is another phrase that may have application from someone who quoted Disraeli‘s phrase about statistics: Mark Twain. He said famously, “Reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.”

Racing is not dying. It is changing. And in everything, change is inevitable.

Where do we go from here?

The strange, but positive thing encountered in examining the declining foal crop and reasons for it, is that everyone interviewed had a different response to this question: What is the first thing you would do if put in charge of the industry? There were no limits put on the responses; the answers ranged from the completely improbable to things right under the industry’s nose. Even better, they span most aspects of racing from fan development to breeding.

First things first: fans. Empty grandstands on race days are par for the course and maddeningly accepted. To drive on-track attendance, Evan Ferraro, offered a simple, but great idea for weekends. “Open up the infields. Let people come in there. Let them bring their own stuff.” Add musical entertainment and things like face-painting for children or pony rides, and …voila, a family event for Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Stack that up against a $15 beer, $10-dollar hot dog, and $10 parking for a major league baseball game. Throw in a premium—cap, cups, etc.--and a free afternoon picnicking at the racetrack looks like a great day out. For racetrack management resting on laurels and reluctant to loosen purse strings fattened by off-track wagering and purses funded from casinos or Historical Horse Racing (HHR) machines, they could find a sponsor to add their logo to the racetrack’s giveaways. 

Ferraro added a familiar lament to his idea: “I don’t think we market our sport well anymore.

“I don’t think you can promote ‘our safety numbers are better.’ You gotta sell the races. That’s what has to drive everything to me. Create some familiarity and give customers a good experience.”

Add to all these things a focus on the “stars.” As recently as the 1970s and 1980s National Basketball Association playoff games were tape delayed. The sport, quite simply, was “meh”… until Larry Bird and Magic Johnson came along. This past year Cody’s Wish provided the public a truly moving story both on the track and more important, off the track in the horse’s relationship with the late Cody Dorman. “There was never a story by the major networks about Cody’s Wish,” said Ferraro. Thoroughbred racing has been silent since “Go Baby Go” was seen and heard on televisions more than twenty years ago. “Public relations,” anyone? 

Kent Barnes, sees a connection between attracting fans and foal crops: “The only way we could ever consider increasing our foal crop is if we can somehow get more end-users involved in the racing game. There is more and more competition out there every year for the public’s entertainment dollar and somehow, we have to attract back the fans, which increases the handle, thereby increasing purses and attracting owners.”

On another subject, the failure of a 140-mare cap for stallions in the U.S. frustrated Barnes, a respected and published researcher on the demise of sire lines and resultant inbreeding. He said, “I was disappointed in their reversal of the cap decision because I feel that if we limit the number of mares bred to each stallion, this ensures that the top stallions are getting the very best mares and also allows second-tier stallions to prove themselves by getting an increased number of mares.  

“There is no doubt stallions that failed to make their mark could have done so with enough mares of quality to prove themselves.”

Bloodstock agent Clark Shepherd pointed out the obvious without a 140-cap limit: “We’re limiting the gene pool. I get handed these mares that are fantastic on the racetrack, and they [clients] want me to do a mating for them. But when I sit down and do a mating, the mare’s bred like a stallion. So now what? It limits my choices.”

Here’s where foal crop numbers really might be, as British Prime Minister Disraeli said about numbers and statistics, “damned lies,” at least according to Shepherd. “I don’t know that a declining foal supply is a bad thing just because of supply and demand,” he said. “For the last three years, I’ve been waiting on the shoe to drop, and we keep going on this upward trend. 

“To me, it’s supply and demand.”

One factor in decline in foal numbers is, Shepherd said, “mom-and-pop” breeders leaving the business unable to afford stud fees for what he called “ultra-stallions.” “They don’t have the mares good enough to get into first-year stallions.”

Whether good or bad, Shepherd points to what he believes is an issue and factor in foal declines. “There’s a lot of mares, even stallions, that don’t need to be in production. If it’s a resulting decline in foal crop because of that realization, I’m okay with it. We’re striving to breed better horses and there’s less of them, and that creates more demand. It could be a good thing.”

On the issue of racehorse ownership Debbie Easter identified what she said is both the problem and a solution: “The problem is the owners don’t own the racetracks. Owners own the talent, but we don’t own the most important part of it:  the HHR or the things that fuel the whole game.”

The solution, in her opinion, is the Japanese model: “Owners are able to pay for their daily expenses with bigger purses earned over there.

“You have the cost of the horse and then there’s the daily cost of racing. I’ve always said, I think the guys would forgive the cost of the horse if they could just pay the daily cost…if they didn’t have to take it out of their pocket. I think we could grow ownership.” 

She wonders if there is too much racing. Contraction of the racing industry could possibly be the ultimate answer.

“Everywhere where racing is successful in this country—Saratoga, Del Mar, Keeneland—what do they all have in common? They don’t run year-round. And they’re in destinations where people want to come.” They also have capacity crowds.

Duncan Taylor, added a novel and, in truth, a not-to-be idea for horse owners. If he were commissioner and it was feasible “I would start purely an owners’ organization and it would be only owners with racehorses while they were running.

“I think they have the most to lose and the most to gain in an entrepreneurial way for improving the sport and not the mediocre management of the racetracks. I would try to get that group of people [owners] to actually buy the tracks.”

Answers? Solutions? Some are immediately viable from this story. Some are unlikely. And some are in a “perfect world” that won’t exist. 

There is, however, one thing on which everyone can agree: racing needs ideas.

State Incentives 2023

Article by Annie Lambert

The bad news is, North American inflation has substantially increased expenses in Thoroughbred racing. The good news is, U.S. purses in 2022 were up nearly 11% from 2021. Also, states and farms are working to provide owners and breeders an opportunity to counter those growing costs with healthy incentive opportunities. 

State Pluses

U.S. inflation rose to a shuttering 9.1% last year, but it has dropped to the current 6.5%. Canada’s most recent number was 6.8%. Both numbers, although improved, still leave horsemen pushing higher outlays across the board. Breeders, owners and trainers can help buffer inflated costs with readily available incentive programs.

Mary Ellen Locke, registrar and incentive program manager for the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association, cited there are no changes to that state’s programs for the current year. As one of the most successful state organizations, the CTBA has seldom tried to fix what is not broken.

“I think [our program] has helped sustain our numbers through Covid and the economy being down,” Locke pointed out. “The numbers of Thoroughbred foals are down all over, but we are holding our own in California.”

The association’s definition of a Cal-bred is one thing helping California retain those foal numbers. Cal-breds are those foals dropped in the state after being conceived there by a California stallion. Or, “any Thoroughbred foal dropped by a mare in California if the mare remains in California to be next bred to a Thoroughbred stallion standing in the state” will be classified as Cal-bred. If the mare cannot be bred for two consecutive seasons, but remains in California during that period, her foal will still be considered a Cal-bred.

The Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association is offering a new race series for two-year-olds in 2023, according to Brian Sanfratello, the group’s executive secretary. The Pennsylvania-bred series offers three stakes for fillies and three for colts.

“The first two races will feature purses of $100,000 to be run during Pennsylvania Day at the Races at Parx Racing,” Sanfratello offered. “The second set will have purses of $150,000 and will also be held at Parx the day of the Pennsylvania Derby; and the third in the series will feature $200,000 purses at a track to be determined.”

Trainers of the top three earning horses will be rewarded with bonuses of $25,000, $15,000 and $10,000.

In addition, Penn National has increased their owner bonus to 30%. The racetracks in that state pay for owner bonuses. 

Virginia has been on a roll since passing their historical horse racing legislation in 2019. Last year, according to Debbie Easter, executive director of the Virginia Thoroughbred Association (VTA), Colonial Downs averaged $612,000 in daily purse monies.

The Virginia Racing Commission approved an additional nine days of racing for the current year. Colonial Downs, the only live racing venue in the state, will run Thursday through Saturday from July 13 to September 9.

“Thanks to Historic Horse Racing (HHR) machines in Virginia, breeding, raising and racing Thoroughbreds has never been better,” according to Easter. “In 2023, the Virginia Breeders fund should double to over $2 million thanks to funds received from HHR.

Virginia breeders currently earn bonuses when Virginia-bred horses win a race anywhere in North America. If pending legislation passes the Virginia General Assembly, breeders will have an update for 2023. They will earn awards for horses placing first through third in North America.

“Because of budget constraints that limit the Virginia-Certified program to $4 million in both 2023 and 2024, we have made changes to our very successful program that pays 25% bonuses to the developers of Virginia-Certified horses that win at Mid-Atlantic region racetracks, which includes New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and West Virginia in addition to Virginia,” Easter added. “The plan is to increase funding for the program once Colonial Downs adds more HHR locations and machines, hopefully in 2024 and 2025.”

Iowa and New Mexico may not produce the largest annual foal crops in North America, but they each had Breeders’ Cup contenders last year. 

Tyler’s Tribe (Sharp Azteca) headed to Keeneland undefeated in five starts in his home state of Iowa to contest the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1). Unfortunately, the then two-year-old gelding was eased into the stretch after bleeding. He did regroup to finish third at Oaklawn Park just a month later in the Advent Stakes.

After challenging the inside speed during the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1), New Mexico-bred Slammed (Marking) finished out of the money. Although the now five-year-old mare has not run since, her previous earnings of $557,030 (13 starts, 9-1-0) give her credibility as a broodmare prospect.

With the majority of Breeders’ Cup contenders raised on Kentucky bluegrass, mare owners may want to start watching for options in Iowa and New Mexico.

Bonus Bucks

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners launched in the fall of 2011. Their ability to acquire, manage and develop runners and put together partnerships is quantified by their gross earnings of $42,561,789.

Eclipse President, Aron Wellman, sees the value of state-bred incentives and makes use of them, although his first order of business is finding the right horses.

“We are going to buy a horse because we like the horse,” Wellman confirmed. “If we buy something eligible for regional programs, we take advantage of them.”

The group’s Chief Financial Officer, Bill Victor, notices incentive earnings on his bottom line. “Breeder incentive programs are important to any stable.”

Spendthrift Farm continues to enjoy their fruitful and much copied programs. This year, Safe Bet will feature Coal Front (Stay Thirsty) standing at $5,000. If Coal Front does not produce at least one graded or group stakes winner by December 31, from his first two-year-old crop the mare owner will owe no stud fee. If he produces a stakes winner, the normal fee will be owed.  

Share the Upside features Greatest Honour (Tapit) for 2023. The breeder sends a mare to this stallion, has a live foal and pays the $10,000 fee. That foal entitles the mare owner to a lifetime breeding to Greatest Honour, an annual breeding share, with no added costs. Greatest Honour is, however, sold out for this year.

Both these Spendthrift programs minimize risks and offer great value, especially to smaller breeders.

Canada continues its successful Ontario Thoroughbred Improvement Program (TIP) with a current budget of $800,000. 

The province’s Mare Purchase Program (MPP) provides breeder incentives to invest in and ship mare power into Ontario. Foal mares—purchased for a minimum of $10,000 (USD), with no maximum price, at a recognized auction outside of Ontario, but produce 2023 foals in the providence— are eligible for a rebate. The rebate is for 50% of the purchase price up to $25,000 (CAD) with a limit of $75,000 (CAD) per ownership group. Mares bred back to a registered Ontario Sire in the 2023 breeding season are also eligible for a $2,500 (CAD) bonus.

The Mare Recruitment Program (MRP) incentivizes mare owners who bring an in-foal mare to Ontario to foal in 2024. Owners will receive a $5,000 (CAD) incentive for each in-foal mare brought to Ontario. The mare must not have foaled in Ontario in 2022 or 2023. MRP is for mares purchased at an Ontario Racing accredited sale in 2023 and must have a minimum purchase price of $5,000 (USD).

Breeders of record are eligible for additional bonuses through TIP. Specific details on the MPP and MRP programs criteria are outlined in the applicable criteria book.

The Struggle Is Real

Minnesota’s only Thoroughbred racetrack suffered a low blow recently when their 10-year marketing agreement with the nearby Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux community expired without renewal. The track will be racing fewer days this year to keep purse amounts competitive without the additional funds.

The former agreement forbad Canterbury from supporting additional gaming legislation in the state; they are now free to push for sports wagering and slots of historical horse racing machines. 

Canterbury Park’s Thoroughbred 2023 stakes schedule will feature twenty-four races totaling $1.65 million in purses.

Texas Thoroughbred has one of the most innovative breed associations in the United States, especially for a state that has suffered setbacks over the decades. Their plan to promote Texas racing through public relations was a great success last year and will continue through this year.

“A series of events are conducted at Sam Houston Race Park, Lone Star Park and in connection with the Texas Two-Year-Old in Training Sale and the Texas Summer Yearling Sale,” said Texas Thoroughbred Association Executive Director Mary Ruyle. “Last year, this initiative resulted in forty-two new, first-time Texas Thoroughbred racehorse owners, equating to slightly more than $300,000 through participation in the Texas Thoroughbred Racing Club and private purchase connections set-ups.” 

Due to Texas’ stance on the Horseracing and Integrity Act (HISA), the Texas Racing Commission does not send out their racing signal unless it is out of the United States. When HISA was enacted July 1, 2022, they only had 14 days of the meet remaining. This year it has hindered their purse structure and the Accredited Thoroughbred Awards, according to Ruyle.

To resolve the problem, they have begun running races earlier in the day, rather than in the evenings, to draw more spectators and handle. They also made a deal with Woodbine to export their signal to Canada.

“At this moment, the purses are essentially the same,” Ruyle said. “As we get into the meet, we’ll see if we are able to sustain that.”

All Thoroughbred racing states within the United States, along with provinces in Canada, have some deals to incentivize breeders. Researching states of interest can provide the means to fend off these inflationary times in North America.