OR Announces $5.89M Breeders Awards Package

Ontario Racing (OR) announced its $5.89 million Thoroughbred Horse Improvement Program (TIP) Breeders Awards package for 2020-21, including a new Ontario Sired Reward of Excellence program.

Rewarding breeders of Ontario-bred horses at Woodbine and Fort Erie, the distribution is based on first, second and third-place finishes in most classes, including Grade I races.

Additionally, a new $200,000 Ontario Sired Reward of Excellence program awards prizes to the breeders of the top three highest earning Ontario-Sired horses worldwide. A total of $50,000 each is being offered in the 2-year-old colt/gelding, 2-year-old filly, 3-year-old colt/gelding and 3-year-old filly categories ($25,000 for first place, $15,000 for second place, $10,000 for third place in the standings).

“The Breeders Awards are critical to Ontario Racing's objective of rewarding breeding excellence through its Horse Improvement Programs,” said David Anderson, an Ontario Racing board member and thoroughbred breeder. “It is our continued intention to invest in the Thoroughbred breeding sector, including the Ontario Sired program, to grow the province's horse racing and breeding industry.”

Among the Breeders Awards program incentives, bonuses for the Triple Crown and Triple Tiara races have also been raised, including Woodbine's Queen's Plate and the Woodbine Oaks, which now offer an added $50,000 and $30,000 bonus, respectively. The Canadian-bred juvenile stakes Coronation Futurity and the Princess Elizabeth S. offer a $25,000 bonus each.

Up to $33,000 will go to a winner of a Grade I; maiden allowance races offer up to a $13,000 added reward to an Ontario-bred winner, up from $5,100 in 2019, while maiden Ontario Sired allowance winners can earn an extra $10,000 through Breeders Awards, up from $3,600 last year.

A list of the rewards offered for each division and class can be viewed at 2020 Breeders Awards here https://bit.ly/387IIrI.

For more info. on the Breeders Awards program including the Ontario Sired Reward of Excellence, as well as other Ontario Racing and TIP plans, click here.