Mid-Atlantic breeders to join MATCH series
Galiana upset the 2015 edition of the Skipat, a race which is part of the MATCH series. Photo by Laurie Asseo.
From a MATCH release
The revival of the MATCH Series (Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championships) gained further momentum this morning with the announcement that breeders’ organizations in the region will pay bonuses to the breeder of the highest point-earning colt/gelding and filly/mare from each program, MATCH announced.
The Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association, Maryland Horse Breeders Association, Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association of New Jersey and Delaware Certified Thoroughbred Program will each offer $10,000 in bonuses, with the breeder of the top point-earning male and female from each program receiving a $5,000 bonus. The decision by the organizations to join the series completes the effort to get all of the region’s stakeholders to participate and enjoy the benefits of the championship competition.
“I am delighted that we have been able to bring our breeders into the series and showcase our bred-fund programs,” said MATCH Series creator Alan Foreman. “In our efforts to revive the series, we wanted everyone in the region to be able to participate. This is a wonderful step for the series and something we hope we can build on in future years, including competition among the programs.”
“The Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association is glad that we can contribute to making the return of the MATCH Series a big success,” said PHBA Executive Director Brian Sanfrantello. “We wanted to make sure that the breeders of these magnificent horses also shared in what will be a fantastic summer of racing.”
“The Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association of New Jersey is proud to join Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware in offering a bonus to the breeder of the top New Jersey-bred point-earning colt/gelding and filly/mare in the 2018 MATCH Series,” TBANJ Executive Director Mike Campbell said. “This unique and exciting series is sure to generate interest among breeders, horsemen and racing enthusiasts across the country, and we look forward to watching New Jersey-bred horses compete throughout the series.”
“We’re happy to join Pennsylvania, New Jersey and the Delaware Certified Thoroughbred Program in participating in the MATCH Series,” said Cricket Goodall, Executive Director of the MHBA. “Maryland-bred horses did very well in the original series, but we didn’t have a way to recognize the breeders. We are delighted to have the breeders as a part of the series and we’re looking forward to the competition.”
“We are excited to offer this bonus to the series for all horses in our program and for the possibility that a horse has the potential to double its bonus earnings because it is Delaware Certified if it is Maryland-, New Jersey- or Pennsylvania-bred,” Delaware Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association Executive Director Bessie Gruwell said. “These bonuses solidify the potential of extra earnings for breeders to take advantage of in the Mid-Atlantic states by sending their young horses to Delaware to be Delaware Certified.”
The MATCH Series, which returns after a 16-year hiatus, is the racing industry’s first and only regional championship competition. Horses will compete in stakes in five different divisions throughout the region from mid-May through mid-September, with the horses competing for just under $3 million in purses and earning points for their order of finish. The owners and trainers of the series horses will compete for $450,000 in bonuses, with bonuses being paid for the winners of each division and the overall championship. The series debuts on May 18 at Pimlico Race Course on Black-Eyed Susan Day.
