Time to Revamp the Sire Stakes

In this month's edition of Trot magazine (a publication of Standardbred Canada), Dean Hoffman discusses how Sire Stakes programs have become obsolete. He raises an interesting point. The original purpose of the Sire Stakes was to promote agriculture in racing states by bringing horses into the individual states, thus increasing employment and stimulating the local economy. Before semen transport, what happened was the broodmare was sent to to a stallion in a particular state, artificially inseminated, and took up residence in the state until she gave birth. Now with semen transport, it is a whole new game. Hoffman brings up as an example the Ohio Horse of the Year from a few years ago. The stallion semen was transported to Michigan; the horse was foaled in Michigan, and the only time the resulting offspring came to Ohio was to race in the Ohio Sire Stakes races. Any benefit to the economy in Ohio was negligible.

Let's look at the New Jersey Sire Stakes. In the past, before neighboring states had racinos, there were a lot of stallions and broodmares residing in New Jersey. Then with semen transport, many of those broodmares stayed home. Now, with the decline of racing in New Jersey, there are a total of eleven standardbred stallions remaining in New Jersey at a total of three farms. What is the incentive to have a broodmare bred in New Jersey? You save $200 on the nomination fee to the NJSS. Hardly an incentive to send a broodmare to the New Jersey to be bred and to give birth. While I realize without a sire stakes program these three farms would go away, how is the New Jersey Sire Stakes benefiting the state? It isn't.

If bettors are going to subsidize programs like the sire stakes through the takeout, then let's have these races serve the purpose they were intended for. Let's replace sires stakes programs with programs for horses sired or foaled in a particular state. This way, these state restricted programs will promote agriculture in the state. More horse farms will exist in these states along with a corresponding increase in employment at the farms and ancillary businesses.
Some breeders may complain; they shouldn't as it will make yearlings more attractive. Let's say Pennsylvania and New Jersey had sired or foaled programs. A yearling sired from a New Jersey stallion and foaled in Pennsylvania would be eligible to two state restricted programs instead of one; thus making the foal more valuable.

It is time these races keep up with the times.