The New Jersey racing and breeding program is one of the most rewarding in the country with the states two racetracks, Monmouth Park and the Meadowlands, offering an average daily purse distribution of $325,000 per day.  A lucrative stakes schedule consistently attracts the nation’s top trainers and horses to New Jersey to compete in some of the most well known races including the $1 million Haskell Invitational which is run at Monmouth Park Racetrack.

The New Jersey-bred incentive program is meant to provide an increased incentive to breed, board, and train thoroughbred horses on New Jersey farms.  In 2006, the incentive program generated over $16 million for breeders, owners and stallion owners. 

Restricted Races

In 2006 there were 266 overnight races run exclusively for registered New Jersey-breds at Monmouth Park and the Meadowlands with total purses of over $10.9 million.  In addition, 16 restricted stake races were run that had a total purse value of over $1.2 million.  New Jersey provides exceptional earnings opportunities to New Jersey-bred horses that can compete for some of the highest purse values in the country with restricted MSW, NW1X and NW2X having purses of $45,000, $47,500 and $50,000 respectively.

Out-of-State Awards

In any calendar year in which there is a surplus of money after the in-state awards program has been distributed, the surplus shall be used to provide awards to the breeders of registered New Jersey-bred horses who earn portions of purses in races at an out-of-state racetrack held at least 30 days before the start of the first thoroughbred meet of the calendar year of more than 10 days’ duration at a racetrack in New Jersey or at least 30 days following the conclusion of the last thoroughbred meet of the calendar year at a racetrack of more than 10 days’ duration in New Jersey. 

Awards will not be distributed to New Jersey-bred horses running in out-of-state contests while live thoroughbred racing is being conducted in New Jersey.

Accredited and Non-Accredited Foals

Beginning in 2007 the New Jersey incentive program will begin to distribute awards to horses that were conceived in New Jersey by a “New Jersey” stallion but not foaled in New Jersey.

New Jersey-bred foals are placed in two categories, which are defined as follows:

1. An “accredited” New Jersey-bred foal is a horse that is
   1. Registered with the Jockey Club;
   2. Foaled in New Jersey during a period in which the mare is considered a resident “New Jersey mare” as defined in (3) below; and
   3. Registered with the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association of New Jersey with all applicable fees paid

2. A “non-accredited” New Jersey-bred foal is a horse that is”
   1. Registered with the Jockey Club;
   2. Foaled in New Jersey during a period in which the mare is considered a non-resident "New Jersey" mare as defined in (4) below
   3. Conceived in New Jersey by a “New Jersey” stallion but not foaled in New Jersey; and
   4. Registered with the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association of New Jersey with all applicable fees paid.

3. A resident New Jersey mare is a mare that resides in New Jersey continuously from September 1 of the year prior to the foaling through the date of foaling.  A mare purchased at public auction subsequent to August 17th of the year prior to foaling, is considered a resident New Jersey mare provided that she commences residence in New Jersey within two weeks of her purchase and continuously resides in New Jersey through the date of foaling.  For the purpose of this paragraph, public auction is defined as an auction generally regarded as a public auction in the thoroughbred horse industry and recognized as same by the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association of New Jersey.

      4.   A non-resident New Jersey mare is a mare that has not returned to New Jersey by 
            September 1 of the year prior to foaling.  The resulting foal can still be registered as a New  
            Jersey-bred provided the mare is bred to a registered New Jersey stallion the season of the
            birth of said foal and remain in New Jersey for a continuous period of 90 days after foaling.

      Awards for horse owners, breeders and stallion owners from races exclusively for New Jersey-bred foals may differ between “accredited” New Jersey-bred horses and “non-accredited” New Jersey-bred horses in accordance with the rules established by the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association of New Jersey.