Planning for Ontario’s 2015 Thoroughbred Improvement Program (TIP) is complete, following approval of the budget by the Board of the Ontario Racing Commission. The successful 2014 TIP Program structure will be maintained in 2015 with a full season of restricted and stakes racing as well as substantial awards for breeders and stallion owners.

For those racing at Fort Erie, $300,000 for overnight restricted races will be reallocated to $300,000 for a 20% purse bonus for Ontario Sired horses in open races*.

With over $16.9 million in purses and awards available for Program participants, the Program as developed by the Thoroughbred Advisory Group continues to provide significant incentives to breed and own horses in this province thanks in part to the stability provided by the Five Year Horse Racing Partnership Plan. This past year, Lexie Lou, the Queen’s Plate-winning Ontario-bred daughter of Sligo Bay (IRE), made headlines in the horse racing world – a shining example of Ontario’s contribution to the sport.

Thoroughbred Improvement Program information may be obtained by contacting the Ontario Division of the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (CTHS) at (416) 675-3602 or emailing cthsont@idirect.com. To contact the Program Administrator, please call (416) 213-1800.

The Administration would like to thank the Thoroughbred Advisory Group for their hard work and careful consideration in developing a long-range plan for the continued success of the Ontario Program.

*Eligibility for this bonus is determined on a calendar-year basis. To remain eligible for this bonus, a horse may only be claimed once in any given calendar year; once claimed for a second time, the horse becomes ineligible to collect the bonus for the remainder of that calendar year. All horses “re-start” each new racing year with full eligibility.