Virginia to offer owner bonus for mid-Atlantic victories
Rose Brier, with four non-stakes wins in the mid-Atlantic, is one horse that could benefit from Virginia’s new program.
From a Virginia Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association/Virginia Thoroughbred Association release
The Virginia Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association (VHBPA) and the Virginia Thoroughbred Association (VTA) will implement a new Owner’s Bonus program beginning this Friday July 1st that will reward owners of Virginia-bred horses that win a non-stakes overnight race at Mid-Atlantic region racetracks.
The new bonus program will add a 25% bonus to the purse earnings of any Virginia-bred that wins an unrestricted overnight race at a Maryland, West Virginia, Delaware, New Jersey, New York or Pennsylvania track. There will be a $10,000 cap on any single reward. The program, which was unanimously approved by the state Racing Commission at its June 21st meeting, will continue through December 31st.
“It is the responsibility of bonus winning owners to contact the VTA and to submit a W-9 form,” said VTA Executive Director Debbie Easter. “Bonus checks will be sent out at the end of each month, so we encourage winning owners to get us that information by the 20th of each month. Any W-9s received after the 20th will be processed and mailed in the following month’s cycle.” That tax form and additional bonus program details will be available at www.vabred.org , www.virginiahorseracing.com and www.vhbpa.org.
“We hope this new program will help current owners of Virginia-breds while we rebuild our race program,” said VHBPA Executive Director Frank Petramalo. “Virginia Breeders have always produced a quality product. This new regional owner’s program added to our nationwide Breeder’s program will help boost the appeal of Virginia-breds in the market place.”
While in theory this is a great idea, there is a giant hole in the program which gives me, a Virginia horse owner, little motivation to race Virginia-breds. The program is nothing more than a gimmick intended to benefit current Virginia-bred runners. It is by its own terms a six-month program that expires December 31.
When developing a breeding and racing program, I look three and four years out, not six months. Since I have no confidence this bonus program will continue beyond a few months, it will not induce me to bring mares into Virginia to foal, nor acquire Virginia bred yearlings or horses in training to race. In short, I view it as little more than a giveaway to people who already have Virginia-breds. Without a long-term timeframe, it iis not a program which will grow the industry in the Commonwealth.
Another empty program that the historically failed VA horsemen leadership has pushed and the VRC has approved that continues to flush the skeletal VA breeding and racing industry down the toilet. What VA owners? What VA breds? Only six months? What a joke!