New York Thoroughbred Breeding & Development Fund:
Making Breeding & Racing a Vital Force in NY State’s Economy

The New York State Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund, established in 1973, has helped shape the New York State thoroughbred industry, making it the benchmark of Thoroughbred programs around the world.

The Fund’s mission statement is “To promote by monetary incentives the responsible breeding of quality Thoroughbred racehorses in keeping with the founding legislation to preserve New York’s irreplaceable farmland.”

To help encourage breeders to choose New York as the base of their operations, the Board of the NY Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund oversees an award and purse-enrichment program with the goal of encouraging the production of quality Thoroughbred racehorses in the Empire State. The staff of the Fund ensures that breeders follow the Fund’s rules regarding eligibility, and under Board direction it fairly and accurately distributes available award money to breeders, owners and stallion owners, in addition to providing purse enrichment for New York’s Thoroughbred race tracks.

In 2014, the Fund provided a total of $2 million in purse enrichment to NYRA and Finger Lakes. In turn, the tracks paid out a total more than $44.5 million in restricted purse money. Based on race results, Fund staff oversaw the payout of more than $17.8 million in breeder, owner and stallion owner awards earned in 2014.