On the back of a year which saw Kentucky-breds thriving at the pinnacle of domestic and international competition, the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation has paid out a record $20-million through its Kentucky Thoroughbred Breeders' Incentive Fund (KTBIF) to participating breeders for races won in 2024, it was announced via press release Friday afternoon.
Consistently in elite company at home, Kentucky-breds won 289 of 401 graded races in the U.S. including all three legs of the Triple Crown–all by different horses–and captured 10 Eclipse awards led by Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old filly Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna); who also claimed the lilies in the GI Kentucky Oaks. Kentucky-breds have won the Derby 116 times, including the last ten runnings, and have won the last eight editions of the Oaks.
On the international front, multiple Group 1 hero, Cartier Horse of the Year City of Troy (Justify) and G1 Dubai World Cup victor Laurel River (Into Mischief) were crowned co-holders of the Longines World's Best Racehorse title.
The KTBIF was established to ensure the strength of the Kentucky Thoroughbred industry by awarding breeders funds to the winners of qualifying races. For a foal to be designated a Kentucky-bred, the mare must be bred to a registered Kentucky stallion, remain in the Commonwealth during her full gestation period, and foal in Kentucky. It is funded through a percentage of the sales tax paid when a stallion is bred to a mare in Kentucky.
A full list of the 2024 award winners, with amounts totaling $20,019,601.10, is available here.
“This is one of our favorite times of year, to see our Kentucky breeders rewarded for continually breeding champions here in Kentucky,” said Drew Conners, KHRGC's director of Incentives and Development. “It is a thrill to watch our Kentucky-bred horses win races here at home and across the globe. We are honored to award a record $20-million to our Kentucky Thoroughbred breeders, who give so much to the
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