The New York Racing Association announced Dec. 30 its continued support of the New York-bred racing program with the expansion of previously planned overnight purse increases. Effective January 2027, all New York-bred overnight races will be run for purse money equal to their open-company counterparts.
As announced by NYRA in 2023, beginning Jan. 1, 2026, all New York-bred overnight races for 2-year-olds on the NYRA circuit will offer purse amounts matching their open-company counterpart.
This year, NYRA ran 548 New York-bred races for total purses of $42,817,000 with the new program anticipated to increase New York-bred overnight purses by 15% compared to 2024 purse levels.
According to early breeding figures reported by The Jockey Club, the New York-bred foal crop is on pace for significant growth this year with 672 live foals reported through Oct. 13, an increase of 13.9% compared to the same period last year, when 1,088 mares were bred, with 590 live foals reported. Nationally, it is expected that the foal crop will decline by approximately 2% in 2024.
"The commitment to the New York-bred overnight program builds upon our previous efforts to support high-quality New York-bred racing," said Andrew Offerman, NYRA's senior vice president of racing and operations. "Starting in 2026, the New York-bred foal crop will benefit from the financial reward of purse parity and will continue to reap those benefits throughout their racing careers."
The programs will be offered starting in 2026 at both Saratoga Race Course and Aqueduct Racetrack as well as at the new Belmont Park, which will open in the fall of 2026.
As a result of the partnership between NYRA and FOX Sports, nearly every New York-bred race is broadcast live to a national audience on the FOX Sports family of networks. Both Saratoga Live and America's Day at the Races, which are produced by NYRA, have generated sustained ratings growth since they were launched nationally in 2016.
In addition to the lucrative purses offered by NYRA, a variety of owner, breeder, and stallion awards are available to those who breed and race in New York. These incentives directly benefit thoroughbred breeding farms across the state.
"Thanks to the quality of New York-breds in the sales ring and at the racetrack, our foal crop numbers have trended positively in recent years," said Najja Thompson, executive director, New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. "NYRA's commitment to investing in the New York-bred program will support continued growth and is a clear statement on why it pays to breed, own, and race in New York."
New York State has adopted rules that expand the reach of the New York-bred awards and benefits by clarifying a pathway for non-resident mares to gain residency status. Accordingly, a non-resident mare purchased in foal through public auction is deemed a resident mare provided the mare is purchased for at least $50,000 in the public auction; is present in the state of New York within 15 days after a sale in North America and 60 days at any public auction sale abroad; the foal is foaled in New York; and the mare thereafter is continuously in residence in New York from within 120 days after her last cover in the year of conception of another foal and remains in residency until foaling.
For additional information on resident and non-resident mares and their foals, visit https://www.nybreds.com/rules/resident-non-resident-mares.
To support the residency rule, NYRA and The New York State Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund provide up to $650,000 per year in purse bonuses to owners. The bonus offers $5,000 every time a New York-sired New York-bred wins at the maiden special weight or allowance level at NYRA's tracks.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
