FTBOA, FTHA and Gulfstream Park announced Friday 2023 Florida-bred racing incentives at Gulfstream Park totaling $1.75 million. The renewed Florida-Bred Incentive Fund (FBIF) will distribute a total of $450,000 in bonuses to Florida-bred 2-year-old maiden winners. The 2023 Florida Sire Stakes series, to be run at Gulfstream for the 10th consecutive year, offers $1.2 million in purses.
The FBIF program offers Florida-bred 2-year-old open maiden winners a minimum bonus of $2,500 for maiden-claiming races and up to $10,000 for a Florida-bred 2-year-old winning an open maiden special weight race at Gulfstream.
This program was created thanks to a joint “Tri-party” Agreement between 1/ST RACING, the Florida Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (FTHA), and the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' & Owners' Association (FTBOA). FTHA has pledged additional funds from the purse account to ensure that FBIF bonuses are available the entire 2023 racing year.
“It's imperative that we all work together to promote and build a robust breeding and racing industry in the state of Florida,” Billy Badgett, 1/ST RACING's Executive Director of Florida Racing Operations, said. “To that end, it's important to attract new owners to our sport throughout Florida and the industry. These incentives, and the change in dates of the popular Florida Sire Stakes program, gives us a great opportunity to fulfill these goals.”
FTBOA offers an additional $100,000 of win bonuses for eligible Florida-sired winners of open maiden special weight overnights, paying $5,000 for up to 10 filly races and 10 colts/geldings races. Combined with the FBIF and FTHA contributions, registered Florida-sired Florida-bred winners in open maiden special weight races collect as much as $15,000 in added incentives.
The dates of the $1.2 million FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series move later in the calendar to provide owners and trainers more time to prepare for these important races. The 2023 dates of the FSS races will be:
Sept. 9 – $100,000 FSS Desert Vixen S. and $100,000 FSS Dr. Fager S. at six furlongs
Oct. 21 – $200,000 FSS Susan's Girl S. and $200,000 FSS Affirmed S. at seven furlongs
Dec. 2 – $300,000 FSS My Dear Girl S. and $300,000 In Reality S. at 1 1/6 miles
“Florida's stakeholders are aligned with one focus – what can we do to help our breeding and racing industries?” said FTHA President Joe Orseno. “We need to find ways to make it worthwhile for breeders and owners to invest in our state. We believe that the new Bonus Program will encourage greater interest in buying and breeding Florida-breds. By moving the dates of the FSS races, late-developing two-year-olds will have a better chance of participating. We are excited about the future of the Florida Thoroughbred industry.”
“FTBOA is pleased to work with Gulfstream and FTHA on a program for 2023 featuring our priority Florida Sire Stakes program while enhancing our Florida Breeders Incentive Fund for the benefit of our highly regarded Florida-bred two-year-olds at Gulfstream on a summer through winter basis,” commented FTBOA CEO Lonny Powell.
FTBOA President George Isaacs added, “We are pleased with the continued FSS races as our industry centerpiece promoting Florida stallions and farms. I also consider it a plus anytime we can offer purse incentives for our bread and butter two-year-olds competing at all levels at Gulfstream. We anticipate this will be one of many cooperative efforts improving the industry economics and stability.”
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