by David Siegel, for the California Harness Horsemen’s Association

The California Harness Horsemen’s Association (CHHA) and the California Standardbred Sires Stakes Committee (CSSSC) along with the Sacramento Harness Association (SHA) have announced a bonus program worth up to $100,000.

Beginning with the 2006 two-year old crop of trotters and pacers, horses that sweep the two-year old championship race, the spring three-year old championship race and the fall three-year old championship race, will share in the $100,000 bonus.

SSC Chairman Steve Chambers explained the program further. “The last races of each season’s divisions will be the championship race, which alone goes for an augmented purse. Our new program will make the four two-year old champions (filly trot, filly pace, colt trot and colt pace) in this inaugural year eligible for the bonus payment. If one of these four winners wins their next two championships (three-year old spring and fall), they will win the $100,000 bonus. If, in the extreme unlikely case, two happen two win all three championships, then they each win a $50,000 bonus.”

CHHA President Ben Kenney commented, “Our Cal-Sired program has been improved immensely over this past year. Our purses are higher and we anticipate them growing further. Now, with addition of this championship sweep bonus, our in-state breeders have an even brighter future. A horse that has won the first two “legs” of the bonus, will be running for the winners share of the roughly $30,000 purse, plus the $100,000 bonus in the fall of their three-year old campaign. That is the equivalent of a $230,000 purse race, which we have never had in Northern California and none in the state since 2000.”

SHA General Manager Chris Schick gave the CHHA high praise for the direction of the Sires Stakes program. “This year really has been a milestone for our management team working hand-in-hand with the horsemen. The Sire Stakes Committee has helped the entire industry by offering enhancements to the program to increase the number of Cal-Sired horses. This, in-turn, will help build our overnight program three and four years down the road, which, in-turn, allows the SHA to offer a bigger and better racing program for our fans in California and around the county. Finally, the bonus program is something that can help us attract new owners as the excitement of six-figure purses finally returns to the racing scene in the Golden State.”

More information can be found on the CHHA web site at www.chhaonline.com.