MHBA Announces New Incentives for Maryland Breeders

As 2021 approaches, the Maryland Horse Breeders Association announced Dec. 8 that the Maryland Bred Fund will implement additional incentives that have been approved by the Maryland Racing Commission.

In addition to increasing breeder and stallion bonuses on all stakes races in Maryland, there will be two new plans to incentivize and reward breeders of Maryland-sired horses:

• Beginning Jan. 1, an additional 10% breeder bonus (for a total of 40%, with the existing 30%), to all Maryland-sired and Maryland-bred maiden winners in Maryland.
• Beginning with Maryland-bred foals of 2023 (2-year-olds of 2025), there will be a tiered Breeder Bonus system. The proposed percentages for that system are 35% breeder bonus to Maryland-sired and Maryland-bred and 25% to Maryland-bred (or 40% more for Maryland-sired/Maryland-bred) paid for first, second, and third on all overnight races.

Additionally, beginning on Jan. 1:

• The bonus percentages for all stakes in Maryland will be breeder 30% and stallion 10%, paid for first, second, and third.

"The purpose of these latest programs is to incentivize mare owners to breed to Maryland stallions," said Cricket Goodall, executive director of the MHBA. "We have a great stallion roster already and some new stallions are coming to Maryland for the upcoming season. Our goal is, and will always be, to reward everyone who breeds, foals, and races in Maryland."