What is the Agriculture & New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund?
The Agriculture and New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund (the Fund) is a public benefit corporation established in 1965 by the Laverne Law (Laws of New York, Chapter 567 of the Laws of 1965). The mission of the Fund is to promote agriculture through the breeding of standardbred horses and the conduct of equine research within the State.

What is the function of the Fund?
The Fund administers the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) program and provides monetary assistance to not-for-profit organizations whose mission is to foster agriculture and/or to conduct equine research within New York State as required by law. Examples include: county agriculture societies, the statewide 4-H program, and the Harry M. Zweig Fund for Equine Research.

What is the New York Sire Stakes?
The New York Sire Stakes is the premier harness racing program for New York-bred standardbred horses. It is a three-tiered program for two- and three-year-old horses of all racing abilities that provides horses with the opportunity to learn and grow in multiple legs during the racing season while moving toward lucrative finals for the best performers at all three levels.

What are the three levels of the New York Sire Stakes?
The SIRE STAKES allow the most talented horses to shine in the "big leagues" of New York-bred racing. The top horses in each of the eight divisions compete in the Night of Champions at the end of the season. Part of the Sire Stakes, the STATE FAIR races are held for two- and three- year-olds at New York’s pari-mutuel tracks.

The EXCELSIOR series for each division provides a slightly less competitive, money-winning opportunity for horses that still need time to develop. The top point earners from each of the eight divisions are invited to the finals at the end of the season.

The COUNTY FAIR program provides racing opportunities for young horses to "earn as they learn." There are 22 county fairs across the state that host events for each of four age and gait divisions. The top series point earners are eligible to compete in the finals held at a pari-mutuel track.

How does the Fund administer the New York Sire Stakes?
The Fund maintains the registry of New York-breds and participating New York-based Stallions, manages the staking, and establishes criteria for and ensures that state statutes regarding the eligibility for registration of foals and stallions standing in the state are followed. The Fund also supplies the purses for New York Sire Stakes races, which are held at the State’s seven pari-mutuel harness tracks, the Goshen Historic Track, and County Fair tracks.

Where does the Fund get the revenue for New York Sire Stakes purses and for contributions to agricultural organizations?
The Fund receives a small percentage of the betting handle at the State’s seven harness tracks, Video Lottery Terminals, and Off Track Betting parlors. This revenue is returned to the racing industry in the form of purses for New York Sire Stakes races and to the agriculture industry through grants to related organizations as required by law.

How much does it cost to stake my horse to the NYSS program?
The staking payment depends upon the age of your horse and what level(s) to which you stake. To stake a two-year-old to the NYSS, State Fair, County Fair, and Late Closers series the total cost is $1250. To stake a three-year-old to the NYSS, State Fair, County Fair, and Late Closers series the total cost is $1550 for colts and $1450 for fillies. Please note that payments are due at different times throughout the year. Please see the “New York Sire Stakes Payment Guide” or payment webpage for detailed information with a breakdown of costs and due dates.

When are payments due for staking to the NYSS program?
You must nominate to the program yearlings eligible horses by May 15. Thereafter, sustaining and continuation payments are due February 15 and April 15. The due date for payments to the Late Closers series changes each year depending upon the racing season, but is usually in late June for three-year-olds and early August for two-year-olds. Please see the “New York Sire Stakes Payment Guide” or payment webpage for detailed information with a breakdown of costs and due dates.

What qualifies a horse for New York-bred status?
A horse must be sired by an eligible New York stallion registered with the Fund for the full season of service during the year in which the dam was bred or bred by semen transported inside the State of New York to be qualified as a New York-bred.

How do I register my stallion?
The Fund requires that returning stallions register by December 1 of the year preceding the breeding year in question. The late registration date is January 1 of the breeding year in question. Stallions that have never stood in the State before may be registered up until April 1, but you will incur a late fee.

What is the cost to register a stallion?
The cost of registration is 25% of the stud fee (maximum $5,000) or $200 for those stallions standing for $1,000 or less.

What are the eligibility requirements for stallions?
To be eligible a stallion must be registered with the Fund for the breeding year.

To be registered with the Fund the stallion must stand the entire stud season in New York and be: owned by a New York State resident or leased for at least 10 years to a New York State resident. Stallions may be leased to the New York farm where they will stand to qualify for the "leased to a New York resident" requirement. All leases must be filed with the Fund at the time of registration.

Stallions enrolled for the designated breeding season must be standing for stud service on the designated farm not later than January 1. Enrolled stallions shall not be removed from the designated farm during the year without the permission of the Fund.

Please visit www.nysirestakes.com for the eligibility requirements in full detail.

Are there any exceptions to the requirement for a stallion to remain on its designated farm?
Exceptions may be made in the case of medical emergency, provided only that you notify the Fund within two business days of the incident. Other exceptions may be made through special permission of the Fund for stallions to race during the breeding season, to move from their designated farm to another farm in New York, or to stand dual hemisphere service. Please contact the Fund for the rules governing these exceptions, providing plenty of advance notice for the stallion to be granted permission before leaving the farm.

What are the eligibility requirements for yearlings?
Yearlings sired by an eligible New York stallion registered with the Fund for the full season of service during the year in which the dam was bred, are eligible to nominate to the New York Sire Stakes program.

If breeding by artificial insemination, only foals of mares bred by semen transported and inseminated inside New York State are eligible for nomination.

Only the first foal born to the dam in a given year is eligible for nomination. The only exception to this will be in the case of same-birth twins; to be eligible, a twin status must be indicated on the USTA registration certificate for the individuals in question.

How do I nominate my yearling?
To nominate a yearling, you must fill out a yearling nomination form and submit it to the Fund no later than May 15. Yearlings must be named and registered with the U.S. Trotting Association at the time of nomination to the NYSS. A copy of the registration certificate must accompany the nomination. You may obtain a yearling nomination form from the Agriculture & NYS Horse Breeding Development Fund website, www.nysirestakes.com.

How much does it cost to nominate my yearling?
The cost is $50 when you nominate as a yearling by May 15. If you miss this deadline, you are required to pay $500 by February 15 of the two-year-old year.

What if I miss a payment?
If you miss a payment you will incur a late fee and it may affect your horse’s eligibility to race in certain levels of the NYSS program. Please see the “New York Sire Stakes Payment Guide” or the payment page of the Fund’s website for detailed information. We encourage you to make your payments early and on time to ensure an orderly registration and/or nomination process.

How do I register my mare?
If you are a mare owner, you do not need to register your mare. However, the Fund does require stallion owners to provide a list of mares bred during the season. The mares bred form must be filled out by the stallion owner and give complete contact details for the mare owner. The form is available on the Fund’s website and due to the Fund no later than September 1 each year.

Do I have to notify the Fund if I change my horse’s name?
Yes. To maintain an accurate listing of New York-breds, the Fund requires you to notify them of any name changes. The name change form is available online at www.nysirestakes.com.

Do I have to notify the Fund if I buy a new horse or sell my horse?
Yes, the buyer must notify the Fund. To maintain an accurate listing of New York-breds, the Fund requires you to notify them of any change in ownership of a horse. The owner/name change form must be filled out by the new owner and is available online at www.nysirestakes.com.

How do I know if the horse I purchased is eligible to be registered a New York-bred?
A list of all eligible stallions as well as a list of all horses eligible to race in the NYSS is available online at www.nysirestakes.com or you may call the Fund during regular business hours. We recommend you check the eligibility status of the horse prior to purchasing, when feasible.

What are the advantages of nominating my yearling if I do not plan to race it?
If you decide to sell your horse in the future, it is to your advantage to nominate your yearling as a New York-bred, which may make your horse more attractive to buyers.

If I sell my horse can it still be registered?
Yes, the horse may still be registered, however the new owner is required to fill out and submit to the Fund the new owner/name change form.

Do I have to nominate, register or stake my horse every year?
Foals need only to be nominated as a yearling. You must register your stallion before the start of the breeding season each year you plan to stand it to breed. You must stake your horse to the racing program each year you plan to race.

Where can I find more information?
Please visit the Agriculture & New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund’s website, www.nysirestakes.com for the latest information, important forms, and a variety of informational publications regarding the Fund and its New York Sire Stakes program.

Breeders' Awards FAQs

What is the NYSS Breeders’ Awards Program?

The Breeders’ Awards Program is an incentive to promote agriculture through the breeding of standardbred horses in New York State.  The Breeders’ Awards Program is divided into two sections: the Performance Based Awards and the Residency Bonus Awards.  The Breeders’ Awards will be given at all levels of the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) Racing Program. 

What are the Performance Based Awards?

The Performance Based Awards reward breeders whose horses perform well at all levels of the New York Sire Stakes Racing program.  The program is designed to be a catalyst for the breeding of high-quality, well-performing New York-breds. 

What are the Residency Bonus Awards?

The Residency Bonus Awards reward breeders who keep their mares in New York State, thereby contributing to the New York State economy and agricultural market.  The program is designed to stimulate New York State’s agriculture sector and preserve open space through populating the state’s many horse farms.

When does the program start?

The Performance Based Awards section of the Breeders’ Awards Program commenced during the 2008 racing season.  The Residency Bonus Awards section will commence during the 2009 breeding season, with the first awards paid in 2012 for eligible horses racing as two-year-olds. 

Who is eligible to receive a Breeders’ Award?

Eligible recipients of a Performance Based Breeders’ Award are individuals who have bred a money-earning horse racing in the NYSS program. Eligible recipients of a Residency Bonus Award are individuals who have bred a mare who resided in New York State for at least 180 consecutive days during the breeding year and whose progeny race in the NYSS as a two- and/or three-year-old and finish in positions one through five.  The 180-day period must be met within the calendar year.  In cases of multiple breeders, only one breeder will be the recipient of the award; the first breeder of record on the horse's USTA registration will be the initial contact. 

Do I have to fill out a special form to be eligible for a Breeders’ Award?

You do not have to fill out a special form to be eligible for the Performance Based Awards.  If you’ve nominated your horse as a yearling and the horse races in the NYSS program and it becomes a money-winning horse, the breeder of that horse is automatically eligible to receive an award. 

If you wish to be eligible for a Residency Bonus Award, you will be required to fill out a “mare arrival form” and a “mare departure form” to certify your mare was a NYS resident for 180 continuous days during the current breeding year.  Additionally, if your mare must leave the state for an emergency or if you transfer it to a different facility within NYS, you must fill out and submit the appropriate forms.  These forms are available for download on the "forms and downloads" page. 

Is there a timeframe for when the forms are due to the Fund?

Yes, the 180-day residency forms must be filled out completely and accurately and within a specific timeframe; failure to do so may result in automatic disqualification from the program.  The “mare arrival form” must be mailed to the Fund with a postmark no later than 14 days of arrival.  The “mare departure form” must be mailed to the Fund with a postmark no later than 14 days of departure.  The “notice of emergency leave” and “notice of return” forms must be mailed or faxed to the Fund within three days of the emergency and return.

I am a New York State resident and my mares are in NYS year-round is there anything I must do to be eligible for a Residency Bonus Award?

Yes, you must file with the Fund the “mare arrival form” when you wish your 180-day residency period to begin.  You must also fill out the “mare departure form” at the end of the 180-day period to certify that your mare was resident in NYS for the continuous 180-day period.  Please note: All forms are due to the Fund within 14 days of the start and end of the 180-day period. Failure to do so may result in disqualification from the Residency Bonus program.

What if my mare has to leave the State because of an emergency?

If your mare has an emergency that results in the need for it to leave the State, you must notify the Fund within three days of its departure as well as its return.  The Fund will have forms available on its website.  Additionally, you will be required to provide supporting documentation that details the nature of the emergency, the timeline, and reason for the need to transfer the mare out of state.  The Fund reserves the right to approve the leave or disqualify the mare from the Residency Bonus Awards program.

Can I move my mare to a different farm within New York State and still be eligible for a Residency Bonus Award?

You may transfer your mare between farms within the State of New York; however you must fill out all of the appropriate forms to notify the Fund within the stated time period to remain eligible to the Residency Bonus program.  Failure to fill out and submit the forms may result in automatic disqualification.

Does the 180-day period have to be continuous? And does it need to be satisfied within a calendar year?

Yes, the 180-day period must be continuous and the timeframe must be satisfied within the current calendar year.

How much money is available for the Breeders’ Awards Program?

The Fund has $1 million for the 2008 Performance Based Breeders’ Awards program.  In future years, the monies available will be calculated based on the Fund’s actual revenue.

How is the Breeders’ Awards Program funded?

Breeders’ Awards funds are derived from the remittances from the State’s harness tracks and Off Track Betting parlors.  Legislation mandates that the above stated entities provide a percentage of the total betting handle and the VLT revenue to the Agriculture & NYS Horse Breeding Development Fund for the administration of the New York Sire Stakes program, including the Breeders’ Awards Program. 

How much will each recipient receive?

The Fund’s budget is based on a purse year of July to June.  Therefore, the breakdown will be available on the Fund’s website each year when all funds have been received and the Fund is able to accurately calculate the monies to be awarded.

Where can I find more information?

Please visit the Fund’s website's “breeding” section, for more information about the Breeders’ Awards Program.  As the program rolls out, forms, updates, and notices will be posted on the website.  It is recommended that you visit the website regularly as the breeding season approaches for all of the latest information and forms for the Residency Bonus Awards program.