Horsemen and women are urged to enroll their mares and stallions in the Kansas Breeders Development Fund (KBDF).

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TOPEKA, KS–OCTOBER 17, 2024–The Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission is currently accepting applications to enroll mares and stallions into the Kansas Breeders Development Fund (KBDF).

This upstart program is projected to offer several million dollars annually to mare owners who have their mares certified into the Kansas program before foaling. Foals born in Kansas from these mares will have the opportunity to run for a projected $3 million purse supplement fund in 2026 and perhaps more in the following years.

The Greenwood County Fair Association, the owner of Eureka Downs, has received the funding to rejuvenate the racetrack and facility there. Legislative action taken this past spring at the state capitol is directing millions of dollars toward the operation of up to 40 days of horse racing at the track.

Funding comes from the $140 million Historical Horse Racing facility that billionaire Phil Ruffin is building north of Wichita. The gaming operation is scheduled to open early September of 2025, allowing for a race meet to be conducted sometime in 2026.

"We've been working for the opportunity to offer this kind of money to owners and breeders to participate in our state bred program for a long time. We finally have it coming," said Rita Osborn, president of the Kansas Quarter Horse Racing Association. "The breeders that have taken their mares out of state to foal and participate in other state bred programs can now bring them back home and reap the benefits from what should be a very lucrative program here in Kansas. We also encourage out of state owners to bring their mares to Kansas to foal and participate in such a great opportunity," she says.

For updates and more information about the return of racing to Kansas go to the KQHRA website: www.ksqhra.com/

CLICK HERE for applications to enroll your mares and stallions into the Kansas Bred Program.