The Kentucky Breeder’s Incentive Program, which is comprised of sales tax on stud fees and awarded its first check during Kentucky Derby week, is kicking into high gear to get more mares registered and is expanding its efforts to include non-race breeds.
To strengthen the goals and objectives of the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority, which implements the regulations that govern the breeders’ incentive funds, the organization has brought former jockey Patricia Cooksey on board as deputy executive director, and Jamie Scott Haydon as fund administrator.

“Being on the other side of the fence has been an eye-opening experience,” said Cooksey, who has taken on the task of improving the KHRA website, which has recently added an online form to register mares in the program. “I want to continue to help Kentucky be the horse capital of the world,” she said, explaining that her avid support partially stems from spending 23 of her years as a jockey in the Bluegrass state.

Haydon said the program’s current 3,300 registered mares can be attributed to the stringent marketing efforts the program has made since July 1. The KHRA, he said, is spreading the word through emails, fact sheets, question and answer segments on their website, and two direct mail campaigns to 3,000 Kentucky breeders. In addition, the Kentucky Equine Education Program newsletter, which explains the logistics of the program and its Aug. 1 deadline, is sent to its 10,000 members. Haydon added that he would be present at the Fasig-Tipton July sales next week to follow up with additional information.

He further related that the winning breeders of the grade I Kentucky and American Oaks would receive $100,000 from the incentive fund, and the three Kentucky breeders that swept this year’s Triple Crown would collect additional bonuses. Grandfathered into the breeders’ incentive system are horses that are already racing and foals born this year, so their mares need not be made eligible