Indiana Standardbred Breed Development Advisory Committee Meeting Notes

Date: October 4, 2007

Please note: These are NOT official minutes of the Breed Development meeting.  They are notes developed by our representative attending the meeting.

The Indiana Standardbred Breed Development Advisory Committee met on Thursday, October 4, 2007, at the offices of the Indiana Horse Racing Commission (IHRC).  Committee Chairman Michael Christner called the meeting to order at 1:00 p.m.

The first item on the agenda was approval of the minutes from the September 27, 2007, meeting.  These were approved unanimously after one small change to a vote count for a motion was made.  The meeting then progressed to the other items included on the agenda.

Due to a previously scheduled court date, committee member Gordon Tabor was not present at the meeting.  Christner said the meeting was mostly to clarify the ISB language.  In addition, parts of the BD program may need to be “tweaked” to suit the available funds and horses each year.

For a foal to be IN Bred (eligible for Breeder’s awards and owner’s bonuses), the mare must be in Indiana & registered with BD by June 1 of year bred and remain in Indiana until foaling.  Special exceptions would be considered for the mare to leave the state for an emergency.  There will be no restriction requiring the foal stay in Indiana until May of its yearling year as previously stated.

Jessica Barnes, Director of Standardbred Racing – IHRC, said she has already been asked how our industry is effecting or contributing to the state’s economy.

Eligibility to Fair races will remain IS.  Any “New” event at the fairs will be ISB.  Breeders awards will be issued for Fair Finals only….not the regular events at the county fairs.

The following is the Indiana Standardbred Breed Development Fund Proposal.

Indiana Standardbred Breed Development Fund Proposal
(Note: This version includes changes approved at the meeting.
However, it is NOT an official copy of the proposal.)

Goals/Objectives:

As our mission states, the Breed Development Program was established to promote the Standardbred Industry, while stimulating the agribusiness portion of our state’s economy.

We are to try and provide a program that promotes growth in the state, but also attracts new participants from outside Indiana by providing incentives.  The following programs hopefully provide an opportunity for those already vested in Indiana and to those who have an eager interest in participating in the Indiana Standardbred Racing Program.

We propose that there be two categories of horse eligible to the Indiana Standardbred Breed Development Program.  Below they are defined:

Ø      Indiana Sired and Bred (ISB):  A foal sired by a registered Indiana Stallion and, from a mare who resided in the state continuously from June 1 (the year the mare was bred) through the time of foaling.

Ø      Indiana Sired (IS):  A foal sired by a stallion standing in Indiana and registered  with the Indiana Stallion registry the year the foal was conceived.

Ø      Indiana Bred (IB):  A foal whose registered breeder with the USTA is an Indiana resident.  Any and all breeders of the horse must be Indiana residents.  Any partnership or corporation registered by the USTA as a breeder must be composed entirely of Indiana residents.
(Note: This category is for the Indiana Bred Bonus only.)

Current BDF Programs

Indiana Sires Stakes

The Indiana Sires Stakes is the premier event for the Standardbred Program.  The eligibility requirements would remain the same, in that foals need only be sired by an Indiana Registered Stallion.

Indiana Sired Fair Circuit Program

The Indiana Sired Fair Circuit eligibility requirements would also remain the same, in that foals need only be sired by an Indiana Registered Stallion.

Purse Supplements for Additional Races at the Indiana County Fairs

Breed Development will continue to support special events at Indiana County Fairs by matching nomination, sustaining and, in some cases, sponsorship dollars for each event.  We will not require the eligibility requirements for any special event (already in place) to change.  However, any new events that require funding will be required to be for horses which are Indiana Sired and Bred.

Late Closer Program

The Late Closer requirements would remain the same.  In order to participate horses must be Indiana Sired, therefore both horses that are Indiana Sired and Indiana Sired and Bred would be eligible to those events.  Once the population of Indiana Sired and Bred horse grows to an adequate number, then the additional late closers solely for this category of horse may be considered.

Indiana Sired and Indiana Bred Bonus Program

This program awards a bonus to the owner of an Indiana Sired or Indiana Bred horse who finished first or second in open company (any race not restricted to Indiana Sired or Bred horses) at either of the state’s two pari-mutuel tracks excluding $4,000 or $5,000 claiming races.  The bonus is paid to the owner/lessee of the horse in the following amounts:

> 1st Place:      10% of the total purse for that race.

> 2nd Place:     4%  of the total purse for that race.

Beginning for foals of 2010, this program would change in that horses that are Indiana Sired and Bred only be eligible for the bonus awards.  This change would occur for foals of 2010 and beyond.  Foals of 2009 and prior that are Indiana Sired would remain eligible for the bonus program.

In addition, the program will be modified to include all races contested at the pari-mutuel racetrack with the exception of the tracks bottom claimer.  An Indiana Sired and Bred horse will receive the bonus amounts as follows:

> 1st Place:      10% of the total purse for that race.

> 2nd Place:     4% of the total purse for that race.

> 3rd Place:      2% of the total purse for that race.

The Indiana Bred bonus would remain unchanged from its current state.

This program should be monitored over the next two years as the slots revenue becomes available.  First, in terms of the percentage allotted, and then the types of races that allow a horse to be eligible for the bonus (i.e. claiming races).

Breeders Awards Program

The structure and eligibility requirements of this program would change for foals of 2010 and beyond.  The program will be restricted to Indiana Sired and Bred horses only.  A percentage of the budget will be directed to the Breeder Award Pool.  A breeder of an eligible horse would be paid an award at the end of the year based on the horse’s total win earnings from all races contested within the state of Indiana.  The award would be a percentage of the total pool equal to that horse’s percent of the combined win earnings of all eligible horses.  A horse would not be eligible for a breeder’s award if its combined win earnings were not greater than $20,000.

(Note: This will be re-visited yearly, as the money from slots and number of horses increase.)

Breed Development Fund Budget Allocation

Indiana Sires Stakes (ISS): 45.0%

Indiana Sired Fair Circuit (ISFC): 7.0%

Other Races at Fairs: 1.0%

Late Closer Program: 3.0%

Overnights: 3.0%

Mini Series: 4.0%

ISB Bonus Program: 20.0%

IB Bonus Program: 1.0%

Breeders Awards: 10.0%

Promotions: 5.0%

Total: 99.0%

Percentage of BD Program each category of horse is eligible to:

Indiana Sired & Bred (ISB): 93.0%

Indiana Sired (IS): 63.0%

Indiana Bred (IB): 1.0%