History and Scope

The California Thoroughbred Breeders Association was founded in 1937 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of Thoroughbred breeding and racing in California. It is governed by a board of 15 directors voted on by the association’s membership.

The CTBA has kept measure with the growth of the industry in the state and is today among the largest organization of its kind in the nation. The membership is comprised of people representing all walks of life and all levels of involvement in the industry.

California’s Thoroughbred industry today accounts for 50,000 jobs and 148,000 Thoroughbred horses that have a $5.1 billion impact on the state’s economy.

It was in the 1850s that Don Andreas Sepulveda brought the first known Thoroughbred to California. This was the imported Australian mare Black Swan. Her easy victory over Governor Pio Pico’s prized Spanish-bred stallion Sarco in a nine-mile cross-country race caught the attention of the Old West, and sparked a steady influx of Thoroughbreds into the state. The Walker-Otis Anti-Racetrack Gambling Bill in 1909, however, brought an end to legalized horse racing in California. As a result, the Thoroughbred industry slowed to a crawl and did not pick up again for more than 20 years.

With the passing of the Woolwine-Maloney Bill in 1933 racing returned in full force to California. The first meeting held under the new legislation was the San Joaquin County Fair in Stockton in 1933, followed by Pomona, Tanforan, Bay Meadows and soon after by Santa Anita, Del Mar and Hollywood Park.

CTBA’s impact on the state’s breeding and racing industry is far reaching. CTBA administers the Maiden Bonus Program, which adds $10,000 to winners of maiden allowance races in Northern California and $17,500 to winners of maiden special weight races in Southern California. CTBA also administers California’s lucrative incentive awards program, which includes Breeders Awards, Owner Awards, Stallion Owner Awards, and the California-bred Race Fund. Awards totaled nearly $10 million last year. In addition, CTBA is the official registering agency for California-bred Thoroughbreds. The Association conducts one Thoroughbred auction each year – the Northern California Yearling Sale. CTBA is a co-sponsor of California Cup day and is instrumental in coordinating the entire California-bred restricted racing schedule. The CTBA hosts numerous educational seminars and events throughout the state. On the communication front, CTBA publishes California Thoroughbred magazine, yearly stallion and industry directories, and maintains an interactive Internet web site, www.ctba.com.

Incentive Award Program

CTBA is the official registering agency for California-bred Thoroughbreds as specified by the California Horse Racing Law. A percentage of every dollar wagered on California races is deposited with the CTBA to be paid to the owner, breeder, and stallion owner so as to encourage the breeding of higher quality horses in the state.

Incentive Award revenues currently total more than $10 million annually. Coupled with restricted purses of $15.8 million, the Cal-bred breeding and racing program totals more than $26 million. By law, these funds are distributed in the following manner:

A) Five percent of the total deposits to be deducted to compensate the official registering agency (CTBA) for its administrative cost and for expenses it incurs for educational, promotional and research programs. The CTBA distributes the remaining balance of annual deposits as follows:

B) To the California-bred race fund, 10 percent to be used for the promotion of Cal-bred races and from which purses are to be provided and supplemented for California Cup Day and other Cal-bred races.

C) To the Maiden Bonus program, 15 percent of the remaining balance will be paid to the owner of a registered California-bred or California-sired foal for winning a maiden special weight race. The bonus award is $10,000 in Northern California and all Fair meets throughout the state, and $17,500 in Southern California. Beginning in 2011, only races of 4 1/2 furlongs or longer qualify for the maiden bonus.

D) An amount equal to 20 percent of the winner’s share of the purse for a qualifying race shall be distributed to an owner of a registered California-bred Thoroughbred conceived by a registered eligible Thoroughbred stallion that finishes first in a race; or an amount equal to 10 percent of the winner’s share of the purse shall be distributed to an owner of a registered Cal-bred that finishes first in a race but was not conceived by a registered eligible thoroughbred stallion with the inclusion of the TOC’s bonuses in open allowance and overnight stakes, the total bonus in those races is currently 30 percent. Total Owners Awards paid in 2014 were $1.2 million.

E) The funds remaining shall be distributed 75 percent to breeder awards and 25 percent to stallion awards. A) Five percent of the total deposits to be deducted to compensate the official registering agency (CTBA) for its administrative cost and for expenses it incurs for educational, promotional and research programs. In 2014, breeder awards totaled more than $4.75 million, while stallion awards totaled almost $1.6 million.