A decade ago, the New York breeding industry was in a steep downturn. The 2008 economic crisis had led to farms closing and mares being shipped to other states, and a program that had worked to establish itself with quality breeding seemed in danger of becoming almost irrelevant.

Fast-forward to 2018, and the situation is quite different. The infusion of revenue from alternate gaming into New York Racing Association (NYRA) purses provided horses bred in the state with an opportunity to run for good money, and, as the economy improved, farms opened or reopened, mares came back, new breeders entered the industry, and now, the appearance of a New York-bred in a Grade 1 winner’s circle, in the U.S. or abroad, is hardly noteworthy. Just this spring, Audible won the G1 Florida Derby and was third in the Kentucky Derby.

Like many of the notable New York-breds over the last few years, Audible was sired by a stallion standing in Kentucky. According to New York breeding rules, where a mare foals and the time she spends in the state determines her foal’s eligibility for registration as a NY-bred, not where the foal is actually conceived.

Unlike Audible, the multiple G1 winner Mind Your Biscuits is a New York-bred sired by a stallion, Posse, who was standing at the time in the state (he has since moved to Uruguay). And, as the breeding industry here establishes ever-firmer footing, several programs exist to boost and highlight the status of not only New York’s mares, but also its stallions.

Susan Kresa and Kreesie after the New York Stallion Series Cupecoy’s Joy. Photo: NYRA/Susie Raisher

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