Eligibility
For foals of 2023 and prior, a Virginia-bred thoroughbred horse is a horse registered by The Jockey Club, foaled in Virginia and registered with the Virginia Thoroughbred Association (VTA).
Beginning with foals of 2024, a Virginia-bred thoroughbred horse is a horse foaled in Virginia, whose dam resides at a Virginia participating facility from September 1st of the year of the foal’s conception through the foal’s date of birth, is registered by The Jockey Club, and is registered with the Virginia Thoroughbred Association (VTA).
All in-foal mares must be registered each year with the VTA by October 1st of the foal’s year of conception.
- After September 1st, a resident mare may leave Virginia within 15 days before the first day of a public sale. If she is not sold by the current owner and returns to a Virginia participating facility within 15 days after the last day of the public sale, her absence for the public sale will not affect her resident status.
- If the dam of the foal was purchased at a public sale after September 1 of the year of the foal’s conception and brought to a Virginia participating facility within 15 days after the purchase date (60 days if purchased outside of the U.S.), the mare can meet the residency requirement if she remains at a Virginia participating facility through the date of the foal’s birth. The sale must be a completed public sale or a private transaction as a result of a RNA at the public sale.
Please click the button below to access the Virginia Mare Residency Report.
A “Virginia Participating Facility” is a farm or training center, or other facility that has entered into a written agreement with the VTA to participate in the Virginia Thoroughbred Incentive Programs.
If you wish to register your farm as a Virginia facility click below.
To Register a Virginia-Bred
To register by mail, please submit the following materials:
- A completed and signed Virginia-Bred application form for each horse to be registered.
- A check payable to the Virginia Thoroughbred Association (VTA) for the applicable registration fee.
Send all materials to the VTA office:
Virginia Thoroughbred Association
250 West Main Street, Suite 100
Charlottesville, VA 22902
Once the registration process is completed, a Virginia-bred letter will be emailed to the applicant and the Virginia-Bred logo will be added to the Jockey Club’s electronic certificate. Registration is valid for the life of the horse.
Virginia Bred Breeder Benefits
- Breeders earn bonuses for registered Virginia-breds finishing 1st through 3rd place in any open race in North America (excludes state-bred and state-sired races). Additionally, bonuses will be earned for a 1st – 3rd place finish in all races at Colonial Downs and NSA sanctioned meets. Breeders of foals born prior to 2024 will earn bonuses for 1st – 3rd place finishes in all sanctioned races in North America and NSA sanctioned meets.
- There is a $25,000 cap on each individual award. To calculate breeders’ awards: Each 1st – 3rd place purse earning for a Virginia bred is divided by the total amount of 1st-3rd place purse money earned by all Virginia breds in a given year. That percentage is a pro- rata share of the total money to be awarded. Awards are paid out on a yearly basis. The Breeders Fund is governed by Code of Virginia § 59.1-372 (Important: In order to earn a Breeders Award, a Virginia-Bred must be registered with the VTA prior to winning the race.)
Virginia Bred Owner Benefits
- Owners of registered Virginia-Bred foals of 2020 and prior are eligible for an up to 25% Owner’s Bonus for winning non-Virginia-restricted races at any racetrack in the Mid-Atlantic region (NY, NJ, PA, DE, WV*, MD). This also includes non-Virginia-restricted wins at sanctioned National Steeplechase Association meets in the Mid-Atlantic region (NY, NJ, PA, DE, WV*, MD, VA). The bonus paid will be calculated as a percentage of the lesser of 60% of the published purse on the overnight or the published 1st place purse on the chart. There is a $10,000 cap on each individual award. *Beginning with foals of 2023, bonuses will not be earned for wins in West Virginia.
- Owners of all registered Virginia-Bred Foals earn a 50% bonus when their Virginia-Bred horse finishes 1st – 4th in an open race at Colonial Downs. The 50% bonus payment will be part of the horse’s purse earnings.
- From opening day through closing day at Colonial Downs, Virginia-Bred horses will not earn owner bonuses for wins at any racetrack other than Colonial Downs.
Virginia Bred Developer Benefits
- A DEVELOPER is defined as the person or entity listed on the chart as owner when a Virginia-Bred horse makes its first life-time start.
- Developers of registered Virginia-Bred foals of 2021 and after are eligible for an up to 25% Developer’s Bonus for winning non-Virginia-restricted races at any racetrack in the Mid-Atlantic region (NY, NJ, PA, DE, WV*, MD, VA). This also includes non-Virginia-restricted wins at sanctioned National Steeplechase Association meets in the Mid-Atlantic region (NY, NJ, PA, DE, WV*, MD, VA). The bonus paid will be calculated as a percentage of the lesser of 60% of the published purse on the overnight or the published 1st place purse on the chart. There is a $10,000 cap on each individual award. *Beginning with foals of 2023, bonuses will not be earned for wins in West Virginia.
- From opening day through closing day at Colonial Downs, Virginia-Bred horses will not earn developer bonuses for wins at any racetrack other than Colonial Downs.
Please note that you do not have to be a member of the VTA at the time of registering your horse. However, you will need to be a member in order to collect any Owners’ or Developers’ Bonus money. If the owner or developer is not a current member of the VTA at the time the bonus money is earned, $100 will be deducted from the bonus amount and the owner or developer of the horse will be made a member of the VTA. A current W-9 must be on file at the VTA office before bonus money will be distributed. To become a member, please click the button below.
DISCLAIMER: Nothing contained herein creates a contractual obligation for payment of any award or bonus by the VTA or any other entity. The VTA’s receipt of sufficient funding for the bonus or award is a condition precedent to any obligation it may have to pay any award or bonus. The VTA reserves the right at any time, with or without notice, and in its sole discretion to (i) change the amount of the bonus or award or (ii) cease paying bonuses or awards.