Lexington, KY – A host of proposed changes to the current Kentucky Standardbred racing and breeding program were discussed during a two-hour meeting of the Kentucky Standardbred Development Fund & Standardbred Breeders Incentive Fund Advisory Committee on Oct. 28.
The meeting centered on discussion of the pros and cons of the various proposals, with no decisions made. The committee intends to meet again in mid-November, when it will make recommendations on the structure of the 2027 program and submit them to the Kentucky Horse Racing & Gaming Corporation for consideration.
The program, which allows for dual eligibility under a mares-residency provision, is considered an industry leader and has become a focal point for some of the largest stables in the United States. But it has also grown and expanded rapidly, and the committee each year seeks to tweak it to make it stronger without exceeding the budget.
Drew Connors, the KHRGC director of incentives and development, said projections set the revenue for the 2027 program at $28.1 million based on an expected 6% increase in historical horse racing revenue. The program, however, could be valued at $31 million, which includes use of reserve funds.
Committee member Joe Costa, president of the Red Mile, suggested there could be no reserves in five years if the overall program isn’t modified.
Several proposals are focused on increasing field size in the various series of competition: Championship, Commonwealth, Goldenrod, Wildcat, and Kentucky Proud. Several committee members noted that some non-fair events had fields shorter than five horses, and some had to be non-betting races; increasing field size to encourage wagering is an objective.
Suggestions included changing how races are split; 10 on the gate and two trailers on a mile track and nine on the gate and one trailer on a five-eighths-mile track; and having a policy whereby if the field drawn is less than five or six horses, the race doesn’t go.
Committee member Ken Jackson, a partner in Kentuckiana Farms, floated the idea of basing the purse on field size. If the committee recommends a floor of five or six horses, the purse would be lowered if fewer enter.
The program for 4-year-old trotters and pacers “has been incredible for the industry. It gives people two bites at the apple for 3-year-olds and 4-year-olds,” Jackson said. And with a solid increase in the number of 3-year-olds in 2026, more horses would be eligible to compete in the 4-year-old stakes, he said.
It was noted that Oak Grove Racing & Gaming, with its March-through-mid-July dates, naturally attracts the largest fields in the 4-year-old stakes because the height of the national stakes season hasn’t yet begun. Red Mile in particular faces the most competition from Grand Circuit events in August and September, and by the time Cumberland Run opens in October, the entries also can be light.
Costa called the 4-year-old program in Lexington “underwhelming” and proposed converting it to four $100,000 finals on Kentucky Championships Night in September. The move would save the program more than $300,000, he said.
“What works at Oak Grove may not work at Red Mile,” Costa said. “The series doesn’t match up with realities for us.”
Committee member Chuck Grubbs, president of the Kentucky Harness Horsemen’s Association, proposed adding two fairs next year to support the Kentucky Proud series. The fairs would be held at training centers owned by Greg Luther and Verlin Yoder.
The overall fair program would be valued at about $2.7 million.
“It’s a good program but it’s not being utilized as intended,” Jackson said. “Large stables are now utilizing it to qualify horses for money. I’m not opposed to (the proposal) but I don’t know if the numbers are good.”
The nomination fee for the Kentucky Proud series is $50, with a $200 sustaining payment.
“If the value of the program is so incredible per horse, why aren’t we saying (the payment) for the program is $900 like the sire stakes program?” Jackson said. “At $900 it may deter the biggest stables from staking.”
Grubbs said he plans to recommend an increase in fees, with the amount to be determined.
Costa also said he supports additional fairs and wants to move the fair finals at Red Mile to Sept. 13 next year. Under the plan, Red Mile would not offer a fair date at the beginning of its meet.
An Oak Grove proposal supported by Jackson and Mike Ziegler, executive director of racing for Churchill Downs Inc., which owns the southwestern Kentucky track, would restructure how races are composed to maximize field size, avoid short fields, and improve the wagering product. Under the system, some horses may have to sit out a leg of a division series, for example.
“This was created to not only change Kentucky but potentially impact global and international racing,” Jackson said. “Split rules in my opinion are a major problem area across the country. They are important rules, but we also need a mechanism to force full fields.
“If we as an industry don’t start making a better racing product, and if we can’t focus on the gambler, we’re in trouble. We need to start improving the underlying product. It has to get better, and maximizing fields will help the racing associations.”
When asked by committee members about potential pushback from owners and trainers who stake their horses, Jackson said he would personally speak to them and explain why it is worth trying. He said there would be ample opportunities in the Kentucky program for those who participate.
“We’ve got to be a leader,” Jackson said. “I believe we need to drive the best product possible.”
The committee meeting included a discussion on the KSDF Stallion Bonus Program, which began with foals of 2021. The $2 million-a-year program is for any horse by a stallion nominated to the program and standing in Kentucky, and out of a mare that resides in Kentucky for 180 days and was nominated to the program. Qualifying horses are eligible to receive a 50% bonus on final purse distributions when placed first through fifth in all 2-year-old and 3-year-old Kentucky Sire Stakes and Kentucky Proud Races. If the $2 million-dollar cap is met within the racing year, all awards are paid on a pro rata basis.
A proposal on the table was to cancel the program as written — those who already committed to it for 2027 would be paid through 2030 — and during that period completely rework it.
“The present Standardbred Bonus Program has not accomplished what we had hoped,” Costa said. “Something has got to change. We still have an obligation long-range, but we would like to replace the program.”
According to KHRG figures, when the bonus began in 2021, there were 19 stallions. In 2025, there were 20. Increasing that number is a major objective of the committee.
“I’m 100% in favor of stopping the existing program,” Jackson said. “How do we come up with new ideas that can be performance-driven and economy-driven? The dual program has driven mares here (2,200) and people are paying for choice. We want to continue giving it to them.”
Shaun Laungani, vice president of Diamond Creek Farm in central Kentucky, said it’s time for changes but whatever is decided, the program needs to be productive and lasting.
“We love the stallion business and we’re definitely up for something new,” he said. “We’ve done our best to this point but could clearly do better if there is a better program. We’d never be in favor of a switch that would be stagnant over time.”
The committee decided to request that KHRG authorize creation of a specialized committee to study the issue and decide on how the program should be structured.
“We need a program that supports itself and is not overly funded by the sire stakes program,” Jackson said. “All I want is a branding deal. I want to have Kentucky not only the Horse Capital of the World but the Stallion Capital of the World.”