by Dave Briggs / Ontario Racing

Ontario’s Thoroughbred Improvement Program committee (TIP) is pleased to announce how it has allocated $5 million in additional funding this year for the province’s Thoroughbred breeders and owners.

The additional $5 million pushes the total TIP budget up 28 per cent compared to the most recent fiscal year – from just over $15.1 million to $19.4 million for this year.

The new money is part of $35 million in additional funding for all three of Ontario’s racing breeds, combined, for each of the next five years.

“This is historic funding for the breeders of Ontario,” said David Anderson, the chair of the TIP committee, which is a division of Ontario Racing. “Breeders are the backbone of our industry – operating the farms, buying the mares and stallions. The Ontario government has recognized the economic impact the Thoroughbred breeders bring to province and this funding will further add security to our long-term investments.

“The breeding industry is really a five-year incubation period. We’re long-term investors, blue-chip investors. We don’t have the ability to just take a mare and a stallion and jump from jurisdiction to jurisdiction or racetrack to racetrack, like an owner does. It is very important to forecast that five years from now we’re going to have a stronger market to be able to sell or race our offspring.”

Highlights of the TIP funding increases include:

  • Total Breeders Rewards increasing 30 per cent to $7.65 million. From that money, the biggest increases are as follows:
    • Mare Purchase Program up 87.5 per cent to $750,000.
    • Ontario Breeders Awards up 24 per cent to $5.9 million.
    • Stallion Awards up 56.25 per cent to $500,000.
    • Ontario Sired Reward of Excellence Awards up 33 per cent to $200,000.
    • Out of Province (Worldwide) Award up 20 per cent to $300,000.
  • Total owner incentives in the form of restricted purses are up 23.5 per cent from $8.972 million to $11.079 million, including:
    • Registered Ontario Bred Racing Program purses up 86 per cent to $720,000
    • CTHS Sales Stakes purses increased to $1 million, total.
    • Ontario Sired Stakes Program purses up 50 per cent to $1.485 million.
    • Ontario Sired Heritage Series purses up 38 per cent to $1.08 million
    • The creation of a new 4-year-old and older stakes series for Ontario Breds featuring four races each worth $150,000.

Anderson said the Mare Purchase Program, “is one of the most successful programs not just in Ontario, but in North America. It is an incredible program that supports our breeders with purchasing better-quality mares outside of Canada and bringing them back to Ontario. Over the past several years, since we have implemented the program, we have brought over 200 new mares to Ontario.”

He said he’s also pleased the CTHS Sale Stakes will now go $1 million in total purses just a few days before the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society’s (CTHS) Canadian Premier Yearling Sale set for Sept. 2 at the Woodbine Sales Pavilion.

“We put a lot of money into the CTHS Sales Stakes,” Anderson said. “We’ve got a million-dollar day of stakes races… and, ultimately, these owners are taking every nickel they earn and dumping it right back into the sale.”

Anderson said he’s also excited about the new series for older Ontario Breds.

“It is hopefully going to give owners the option of hanging on to their Ontario Breds and bringing them back to the races at 4 and up, versus retiring them or selling them,” Anderson said. “It’s all about opportunities to race. If we can offer restricted racing for our local guys, it’s a big win for everyone.”

For further information, please visit the Ontario Thoroughbred Improvement Program website and select the Incentives & Awards tab.

(Dave Landry photo)