$1 Million Bonus Program Created for Florida-breds

A new tri-party agreement between Gulfstream Park, Florida's breeders, and horsemen's organizations has created a new $1 million bonus program for overnight races to incentivize the buying, breeding, and racing of Florida-breds.

The bonus program is part of an agreement that also secures the 37th running of the Florida Sire Stakes series for 2-year-olds by nominated stallions. The FSS will offer $1.5 million in purses. 

"We're moving in an exciting direction with this agreement," said P.J. Campo, vice president of racing for Gulfstream Park and The Stronach Group. "I'm a big believer that without a strong state-bred program, the whole program is really hard to keep going. I was in New York for 15-plus years, and we always had a good, strong state-bred program. We have a good relationship with the breeders and the horsemen, so how do we continue to build on that? The Florida program in general wanted to give owners more of an incentive to buy, breed, and race Florida-breds. Being year one, I think everyone is really onboard to make these incentives work."

The program supported by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association and the Florida Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association will offer the following:

• A $10,000 bonus added to the value of a race for horses registered in Florida that are running in select "open company" overnight races for 2-year-olds in the summer,
• A $10,000 bonus for 3-year-olds and up in the late summer and fall for horses registered in Florida, and
• Florida-breds running in select restricted overnight races will run for $10,000 more in purses. These races will affect primarily 2-year-olds, but Gulfstream has the flexibility to apply the bonus to races for 3-year-olds and up.

"This really boosts the 2-year-old program," Campo said. "There is a ripple effect. People are going to the 2-year-old sales here and in Ocala. It gives owners a chance to buy Florida-breds and keep them at Gulfstream throughout the year."

Lonny Powell, CEO of the FTBOA, said the "innovative" agreement not only re-energizes the FTBOA's partnership with Gulfstream and the FHBPA but "takes a significant and timely step in enhancing the economics of racing Florida-breds at Gulfstream.

"For multiple reasons this agreement for 2018 is a winning deal for the horse owners, trainers, track, breeders, wagering public, and the entire Florida Thoroughbred industry," Powell said. "Bottom line, if you race a Florida-bred at Gulfstream in 2018, you will be racing for more money in a big way. We look forward to capitalizing on the spirit of cooperation and positive momentum this agreement represents on a go-forward basis."

Stephen Screnci, FHBPA president, gave credit to his association's Breeder Liaison Committee and its chairman Daryl Clark, for providing a detailed analysis that helped lead to the agreement.

"Hopefully, it sets the foundation for future agreements between the horsemen and the breeders, which will be essential to the growth of our industry in Florida," Screnci said in a statement.

The tri-party agreement does not include a continuation of the FSS series for 3-year-olds at Gulfstream Park, which was created in 2015.

A purse dispute cancelled this series as it was scheduled to run this year. Instead, the FTBOA and Tampa Bay Downs put together four stakes worth $450,000 for 3-year-old, FTBOA-registered, Florida-bred horses by FTBOA-registered and FSS-eligible stallions. The first two stakes—the $125,000 FTBOA Marion County FSS for colts and geldings, and the $125,000 FTBOA City of Ocala FSS fillies—were run Dec. 16. The remaining two races—the $100,000 FTBOA Silver Charm Florida Sire Stakes for colts and geldings and the $100,000 FTBOA Ivanavinalot Florida Sire Stakes for fillies—will be run May 5.

As of now, the FTBOA and Tampa Bay Downs have not discussed continuing the FSS 3-year-old stakes for the 2018-19 season, according to Margo Flynn, vice president of marketing and publicity. 

"We had outstanding fields in the first races, and it was exciting with Three Rules coming back," Flynn said, referring to the son of Gone Astray  who swept the FSS male divisions in 2016. "So far it has been a successful relationship."