Broodmare Grant Program Announced

Feb. 16, 2021

Horse Racing New Brunswick (HRNB) announced details of its new broodmare grant program. HRNB will offer 10 grants for the purchase of new broodmares. Stipulations for the grant program are as follows:

• Mares must foal in 2021 or be used for breeding to foal in 2022 to be eligible for the grant money. Payment will be issued when mare produces a live foal. Payments will be:

  • $2,000 for first live foal

  • $250 in Year 2

  • $250 in Year 3

• Mares must be owned by a New Brunswick resident and reside in New Bruswick 183 days in the first year of foaling (2021 or 2022) and subsequent years of the program.

• Owners of mares are encouraged to keep current on mares reports for three years. Failure to do so may result in grant being suspended.

New Stakes Series In New Brunswick

Feb. 8, 2021

Officials with Horse Racing New Brunswick are pleased to announce a stakes series geared toward supporting New Brunswick breeders.

The New Brunswick Breeders Stakes will begin in 2021 and will help support breeders by offering added value for New Brunswick foals. There will also be a 4 per cent breeders rewards program which will return dollars directly to New Brunswick breeders. In 2022, two-year-olds will race for $50,000 added.

“After some discussions with the ASBA (Atlantic Standardbred Breeders Association), it became apparent that for New Brunswick to rejoin the Atlantic Sires program was too expensive for us right now. It would have left our overnight horse population with only 10 or 11 race days,” said HRNB president Brock McEachern. “This program is affordable for HRNB, and offers added incentives for people to buy New Brunswick-foaled yearlings and for our breeders to foal here in New Brunswick.”

To be eligible to the series, mares must reside 183 days in New Brunswick. However, other yearlings from outside jurisdictions can be made eligible so long as they are 100 per cent trained in New Brunswick. “This premise promotes the industry here (in New Brunswick),” elaborated McEachern.

New Brunswick Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association president Sam Hodgin says this series is a big step in the right direction for New Brunswick:

“This series gives us stake races in Woodstock in 2022 going forward, which will be great to see.”

“Stay tuned,” says McEachern. “We have more good news to come.”

The new series can now be found in the Standardbred Canada Stakes Guide.

Bonus added to Barrieau-McIsaac 

Feb. 3, 2021

Horse Racing New Brunswick are pleased to announce an added feature to the Barrieau-McIsaac Memorial Stake in 2020 and going forward.

HRNB will contribute $3,000 specifically for an added bonus for fillies. This bonus will award $2,000 to the highest placing filly in the final and $1,000 to the second-highest placing filly also in the final. This bonus will be paid in addition to any purse money won from the lucrative stakes event.

Last year, the filly Red Dirt Star garnered a respectable third-place finish in the $40,000 final.

"It is hoped this encourages owners with stakes fillies to stay eligible and compete in the rich event," said HRNB in its announcement of the bonus.